Volume One, Chapter 18: The Thief

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The two sisters had reached the covered corridor by the rear courtyard when Leng Yuejiao forcefully shook off Leng Yueheng’s arm.

“Hey! Stop dragging me! Why wouldn’t you let Father throw those two out?”

“Stop causing trouble. We don’t understand the affairs of the court. Father has his own considerations. Know when to stop! Don’t make trouble for him!”

Leng Yueheng had come to realize that this fourth younger sister of hers was exceedingly troublesome. In the face of this girl, even her mysterious and aloof persona was almost impossible to maintain.

Although Lord Guo was merely a low-ranking sixth-grade official, affairs in the imperial court could change in an instant. Since they could not crush him completely, it was enough to make him wary. There was no need to turn him into an enemy.

Leng Yueheng gave Leng Yuejiao another stern warning. Once Leng Yuejiao realized that her actions might affect their father, she could only let the matter go.

Leng Yuejiao found herself admiring her third elder sister a little, but she refused to admit it. With a stiff expression, she said, “You have no right to lecture me! This is all your fault!”

Hearing the lack of confidence beneath Leng Yuejiao’s bluster, Leng Yueheng thought, This girl really is stubborn.

She immediately nodded like a pecking chicken. “Yes, yes, yes! Right, right, right! It’s all my fault!”

At last, their conversation came to an end. Watching the proud little hen leave, Leng Yueheng exhaled and strode back to the Bamboo Grove Residence.

Nanny Zhuang followed closely behind.

“Are you worried about the rumors circulating in the capital, Miss?”

“Nanny, I want to be alone for a while. Don’t let anyone come in.” Leng Yueheng needed time to think.

Nanny Zhuang gazed at her worriedly, wanting to speak but ultimately saying nothing. In the end, she withdrew.

Leng Yueheng extinguished the lamp and began racking her brains in the darkness.

“Leave the Leng residence and wander the world with Auntie Tian?”

The thought had barely surfaced before she rejected it. It had taken so much effort to transmigrate into the body of a young lady from the Leng family—how could she bear to abandon such staggering wealth?

All right, perhaps the wealth was not quite that staggering, but she still could not bear to give it up! Besides, beneath Heaven, all land belonged to the emperor.

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The little martial skill the original owner had learned might allow her to flee for her life if she encountered a true master, but trying to escape while dragging along her entire household would be nothing short of suicide.

At that moment, she truly regretted not having studied inventions more seriously in her former life. If only she could create something from the Industrial Revolution and become a treasured asset of the Great Jing Kingdom. Then she could not only protect herself but also secure the protection of Emperor Jingwu.

Leng Yueheng shook her head. What was she thinking? If she had possessed that sort of talent, how had she ended up as a housewife in her previous life?

Just as she was racking her brains, a dark figure vaulted through the window.

Leng Yueheng jolted. So soon?

Before the intruder could react, she gathered all her strength and kicked him squarely in the back. Unexpectedly, he spun around with astonishing speed, seized her ankle, and yanked her forward. Leng Yueheng went sprawling straight toward her bed.

She twisted around at once and landed sitting on the mattress. Feeling the dark figure advancing on her, she prepared to strike at the most vulnerable part of a man’s body.

There was no other choice. He towered over her, and she needed to bring him down with a single move. A low blow was the safest method.

The man caught her hand just as she was about to succeed.

The air froze once again, and Leng Yueheng suffered another mortifying social death.

Then she saw the handsome, demonic face of Prince Ji.

The so-called Dog Prince wore an expression of utter disbelief. This woman looked radiant and delicate, so how could she resort to such a shameless trick? If he had been even a fraction of a second slower, he truly would have suffered both a ruined body and a ruined reputation.

“It’s me!” Yan Beiyuan’s every hair stood on end, and he did not dare release Leng Yueheng’s hand.

“Your Highness... don’t you know how to use the door?”

Leng Yueheng was utterly embarrassed. This damned prince appeared every time at night, and he seemed especially fond of climbing through windows.

“This is the last time I’ll come through a window!” Yan Beiyuan swore that he would never again sneak into this woman’s room in the middle of the night. Otherwise, the rumors about his impotence might actually come true.

“What brings Your Highness here?”

“This is the last time I’ll ask you...” Yan Beiyuan hesitated before finally speaking.

Yet he did not know how to continue. This woman was unlike other women. She had already rejected him once, and as a dignified prince, he had his pride to consider.

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The two of them remained frozen in the awkward position of a would-be low blow being thwarted, while Leng Yueheng waited quietly.

After a long while, Yan Beiyuan released her hand and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Would you... be willing to follow me?”

Yan Beiyuan seemed to have summoned tremendous resolve.

He swore he was not lusting after this woman’s body. It was simply that any woman he had slept with had to belong to him. How could he allow anyone else to lay claim to her?

Moreover, the rumors were spreading like wildfire, and life was probably not easy for her either.

Leng Yueheng had already guessed what the Dog Prince was thinking. After tasting an exquisite delicacy once, a man would crave it again within a month.

Ha! Men!

Should she agree?

In her previous life, she had sworn that if she ever got the chance to live again, she would never marry. Dating was so much more fun. If she lost interest, she could simply break up. Why get married? Was she tired of living?

But at present, she desperately needed the support of someone powerful. The Dog Prince was Emperor Jingwu’s only son. His reputation might be somewhat poor, but the rumors were completely unfounded. She had already tested him herself—the Dog Prince was perfectly capable.

Presumably, even if Chancellor Zhao learned of her true identity in the future, he would not dare act recklessly...

When Yan Beiyuan saw that Leng Yueheng remained silent, he felt as though he had been slapped hard in the face. This woman truly did not know how to appreciate kindness. He rose and was about to leave.

“Your Highness, I want to become your secondary consort!”

Seeing that the Dog Prince was about to depart, Leng Yueheng instinctively seized his arm.

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