As his fingers stroked her face, Qi Jin trembled all over as if struck by lightning, unable to stop shaking.
She would never forget the way Qi Wang pointed a dagger at her neck back then. And she knew very well that the man in front of her was someone who could kill at any moment.
Having faced the threat of death, she understood even more the preciousness of life.
She didn’t want to die. She still had many things to do, many grudges to settle.
So she kowtowed to Qi Wang with loud bangs, desperately begging for mercy.
Qi Wang pinched her chin with one hand to stop her movements, his gaze cold and cruel: “Did I ask you to kowtow? Useless thing, not even worth one of her fingers—no wonder you can’t beat her!”
Seeing Qi Jin like this only made him even angrier.
They both crawled out from piles of corpses, but Qi Yuan always had a ruthless edge to her, no matter when. Even when she was submissive on the surface, it was just her method. She always carried a sharp intent to kill, never truly bowing.
But Qi Jin was different. After all these months of training, she was still so useless!
There was no need to say who “her” referred to—Qi Jin was already burning with overwhelming hatred inside.
Even now, Qi Yuan still wouldn’t let her go, like a ghost haunting her endlessly!
What had she done wrong?! Why did Qi Yuan have to come back?! Why did she have to come back?!
Kneeling on the ground, Qi Jin took a deep breath. “It was my mistake…”
Qi Wang slapped her across the face. “What mistake? Who told you to apologize and kneel all the time? She would never say such things!”
Qi Jin clenched her fists tightly, filled with shame and hatred.
Until Qi Wang’s hand circled to the back of her neck and suddenly pulled her forward, their foreheads pressing together.
In that instant, Qi Jin felt all the hairs on her body stand on end.
She stared wide-eyed at Qi Wang, her heart pounding furiously.
“Hate Qi Yuan that much, don’t you?” Qi Wang’s voice lowered, his hand sliding along her neck. “I’ll give you a chance now. Do you dare to try?”
Every drop of blood in Qi Jin’s body was boiling, screaming, and she couldn’t stop trembling.
She almost squeezed the words out from between her clenched teeth: “I’m willing!”
Kill Qi Yuan!
Kill the person who dragged her from the clouds into the mud.
Her teeth were chattering, clenched so hard they creaked, her hatred about to burst out of her body. “Your Highness, I’m willing. I will definitely kill her!”
Not only to kill her but to destroy her face.
Didn’t the Qi family say this face was the very image of the Qi family?
Then she would make sure that face would cease to exist.
So even if Qi Yuan went to the underworld, she’d bear a blurred, ruined face and never reincarnate!
Qi Wang stared at her for a long while, then suddenly let her go with a laugh. “Good, very good. I’ll leave this to you then—don’t let me down.”
Qi Jin let out a sigh of relief, her chest still tight from her earlier excitement, almost making it hard to breathe.
Just as Qi Wang was stepping onto the footrest to stand up, his legs suddenly gave out with a thud and he collapsed to the ground. Qi Jin was startled, quickly stepping forward to help him. “Your Highness…”
Qi Wang’s calm mood instantly turned dark again. He flung her away violently. “Get out of here!”
Then he glared at her fiercely. “Still not leaving?!”
Qi Jin froze, only now realizing that something was wrong with Qi Wang’s legs—he couldn’t even stand up!
What was going on?!
As far as she knew, Qi Wang practiced martial arts and was heavily guarded—how could he have been injured this badly?
But seeing Qi Wang in this state, she didn’t dare ask another word and hurriedly ran out of the room.
Inside, Qi Wang roared: “Jinbao! Get in here before you die!”
Jinbao nervously entered, and soon after, the sounds of things being smashed came from within.
Eunuch Xu went in and came back out, frowning. When he saw Qi Jin, he sighed heavily, suppressing his anxiety. “Come with me.”
Qi Jin’s heart was in turmoil, unable to calm down as she recalled Qi Wang’s condition.
Who had injured Qi Wang so severely?
She had grown up in the capital, living in luxury for more than ten years. She had even served as a companion to a princess, so she knew Qi Wang fairly well.
What girl didn’t dream of marrying someone so noble and becoming a Wangfei?
She had dreamed of it too. For a time, Qi Wang had indeed been gentle and affectionate toward her.
But everything changed when Qi Yuan returned.
After that, Qi Wang wanted to kill her and almost did.
She touched the scar on her face, her gaze turning sharp.
Right, Qi Yuan!
His Highness called her over today, first to say she should go kill Qi Yuan.
Was it Qi Yuan who injured his legs?!
Qi Yuan! How dare she!
As she was being cursed in someone else’s mind, Qi Yuan sneezed and asked the old madam, “An invitation for me?”
The old madam nodded worriedly. “Yes, an invitation for you. It’s your maternal grandmother’s sixtieth birthday, a major milestone that should be well celebrated. You’ve just recently returned and have stayed mostly at the marquis’ estate learning proper etiquette, only attending the Xiang family’s flower banquet and Zhou Wang’s polo gathering. You haven’t really gone out otherwise…”
So this one was hard to decline.
Actually, at this critical time, Qi Yuan really shouldn’t be attending any public gatherings.
The old madam knew this very well. But this was Qi Yuan’s maternal grandmother’s family.
She thought for a moment. “Perhaps you could visit and offer your congratulations in advance, and not attend on the actual day?”
Qi Yuan rested her hand on the invitation—it was addressed to the marquis’ estate.
Then she shook her head. “No, I’ll go.”
The old marquis, who had been silent, spoke in a low voice: “Think carefully. This is likely a Hongmen Banquet—a deadly trap.”
Even though it was her maternal grandmother’s family, right now, there really wasn’t much distinction. For the Liu family, if they wanted to set a trap, it would be hard to guard against.
He feared there would be no good intentions behind this banquet.
Qi Yuan hummed in agreement. “Exactly. That’s why I must go. Otherwise, someone else might take the fall for me.”
She said no more, tucked away the invitation, and smiled lightly. “Besides, as a granddaughter, it’s inappropriate not to have visited my grandparents after being back for so long. I should go.”
The old madam took a sip of tea and hesitated for a moment.
It wasn’t that she feared Qi Yuan would suffer a great loss—she coughed softly. “If you can think of another way, you’d best think of another way.”
Don’t always resort to killing. It’s one thing to kill quietly in the outskirts, but inside noble residences, where there are many eyes, it would be hard to cover it up if someone caught sight.
Qi Yuan casually responded, “Got it.”
