Chapter 153: Caught by the Lord Seal Master

"You... why are you... here..."

Chen Pingting hated Xiao Li, wishing she could watch her die with her own eyes. But that didn’t mean she wanted to see her when she herself was on the verge of death.

She saw Xiao Li bring over a cup of water. Just as it reached her lips, while she was still hesitating whether to drink water from an enemy, Xiao Li poured the entire cup down the front of her clothes. The ice-cold water made her shiver uncontrollably.

A sudden realization struck her. Xiao Li wasn’t here to visit; she was here to torture her, and maybe even kill her!

That vicious woman, Xuanyang—there was nothing she wouldn’t do!

"How dare you... I... I’m the Empress Dowager’s niece, an Imperial Concubine..." she threatened hoarsely.

"The Empress Dowager’s niece?" Xiao Li’s eyes filled with mockery. "The Empress Dowager can barely protect herself, let alone you. As for my Brother, after what was done to our mother, it won’t just be you. I’m afraid your entire Chen Family will be joining you in hell."

Chen Pingting’s pupils trembled. For once, she was sharp. "It was you!... You’re the one who did this to me!"

Xiao Li gave a chilling smile. "You guessed right. Too bad there’s no prize."

She grabbed Chen Pingting’s flailing hand, her icy eyes devoid of any warmth. "Chen Pingting, I couldn’t even be bothered to deal with you before. Killing a fool like you felt like a waste of energy. But you just had to keep making trouble—first trying to drug me at the banquet, and then trying to incite the Empress Dowager to torture me."

"Weren’t you so deeply in love with Lu Yanzhi? I’ll personally send you on your way so you can have a proper reunion with him."

If anyone else had threatened to kill her, Chen Pingting might have cursed them out. But if it was Xiao Li, she knew she was absolutely capable of it.

Fear appeared in Chen Pingting’s eyes.

She did love Lu Yanzhi and wanted to kill Xiao Li to avenge him, but that didn’t mean she was willing to die to be with him.

She wanted to live and spend her life with Lu Yanzhi; she had never thought about dying...

"You can’t kill me! The Chen Family won’t let you get away with this!" She managed to force out the words.

Xiao Li laughed like a man-eating demon. "If they won’t let me get away with it, I’ll just send them to join you. It’ll be easy enough."

Watching Xiao Li raise her hand, Chen Pingting trembled all over, her eyes wide with terror. "No, you can’t kill me... I won’t go against you anymore... I was wrong... I’m begging you..."

In Xiao Li’s eyes, she was already a dead woman. "It’s too late to admit you were wrong now!"

When she didn’t want to kill someone, she wouldn’t even spare them a second glance. But when she decided to kill, she never showed mercy.

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Dusk fell. The lanterns in the Imperial Palace had not yet been lit, and everything was shrouded in a gray haze.

The figure of a palace maid walked slowly along a palace path, heading toward the palace gates.

"Halt! Which palace are you from?"

An Imperial Army guard stopped her.

The palace maid presented a token. "Sir, this servant is from Chunxi Palace. I am under Her Highness’s orders to retrieve something from the palace gates and will return immediately."

The Imperial Army guard looked at the token, confirmed it was authentic, and returned it to her. "Go on."

As Mu Bai was walking, he noticed that Lou Yan had suddenly stopped up ahead. Following his gaze, he saw only a palace maid walking further and further away down the long palace path. In a moment, she turned a corner and disappeared from view completely.

The person was long gone, but the Chief was still staring in that direction.

"Chief? Was there something wrong with that palace maid?"

"No." Lou Yan retracted his gaze and continued walking. However, after only a few steps, he stopped again.

"You go on ahead. I have something to take care of and will be there shortly."

Watching Lou Yan quickly disappear down the stairs, Mu Bai was bewildered. ’What’s gotten into the Chief? He’s been on edge for the past two days.’

Relying on his familiarity with the Imperial Palace, Lou Yan quickly avoided the patrols and headed for the palace gates.

His ghostly figure arrived at a narrow passageway to wait. Finally, that slender silhouette slowly approached.

He struck in an instant, pulling her against the wall. One hand gripped her waist while the other supported her head. He lowered his head to face her, and the moment he saw her clearly, a brilliant light slowly bloomed in his icy eyes.

"Princess, it really is you."

Even though she had deliberately applied makeup to make herself look plain, even adding a few freckles.

Others might not recognize her, but how could he not?

Just the sight of her back was enough to make him lose his composure.

Xiao Li neither struggled nor showed any surprise. She simply said calmly, "So I’ve been caught by the Lord Seal Master."

She raised her hand, pressing a hairpin against Lou Yan’s chest.

Lou Yan was stunned, then suddenly laughed—a mix of surprise and mockery, but no anger. "Are you going to kill this servant?"

Xiao Li didn’t move, but he pushed forward, pressing his chest against her hand.

"You can kill this servant, but please allow this servant to die understanding why."

"The Princess was the one who provoked me first. Why have you suddenly started ignoring this servant?"

He lowered his head, his demanding gaze locking onto hers. He hoped to see something—even the slightest hint of hesitation or a smile—but there was nothing.

The cold hairpin slid from his chest to his throat, finally coming to rest against his cheek.

Xiao Li answered him calmly, "That night of the Lantern Festival, you stood at the door all night. What were you thinking about?"

Even though Lou Yan had been the one to ask, he was the first to falter.

The veins on his arm bulged, but he didn’t dare use his strength against her.

"Princess, with your seven-chambered Linglong heart, you must know what I was thinking."

Xiao Li tried to push his hand away and leave, but Lou Yan pulled her into his embrace.

"Does the Princess like that young brat, and that’s why you’re abandoning this servant?"

"Or is it because this servant is an incomplete man, I’m not even worthy of being jealous or angry?"

His chilling voice and the gradually tightening grip were like a venomous snake coiling around her.

The hairpin in Xiao Li’s hand pressed against his temple. "Let go!"

Lou Yan didn’t let go. Instead, he pushed his luck, lifting her up against the wall and wedging himself between her long legs in a move full of aggression.

"SHINK!"

The hairpin pierced his shoulder, and blood instantly flowed out.

Lou Yan winced in pain but didn’t even frown. Instead, he let out a delighted laugh and lowered his head to kiss her cheek. "In the end, the Princess does care for this servant. Even this angry, you only bear to stab my shoulder."

"No, that’s wrong. This servant should say, thank you for the Princess’s gift!"

’This psychopath!’

Xiao Li laughed once, then again.

She tilted her head up slightly. "Get off me. Otherwise, the next strike will be your temple."

Lou Yan paused, but ultimately, he let her go.

"SMACK!"

A sharp slap landed across his face.

Lou Yan’s expression froze. He dropped to one knee. "Princess, forgive me!"

Xiao Li calmly straightened the hem of her clothes. "I don’t like coddling men. If you’re going to throw a tantrum out of jealousy, then just leave. I won’t ask you to stay."

"Furthermore, I like powerful men, but I don’t like men who use their superior strength to force themselves on me."

"This should be consensual, a transactional relationship. I can play along with you, but don’t catch feelings. I don’t need anyone’s affection, and I have none to give. Don’t try to sway me with your emotions."

"Seeing as you suit my tastes, I’ll forgive you this time. But if you can’t figure out your own place, next time, I can let the Lord Seal Master test my methods for himself."