At Qian Sheng Fabrics.

Bai Yi frowned as she examined the battered stranger lying on the ground covered by a white cloth, his face bruised like a pig’s head.

“You’re saying this is Shui Ange? How did he end up like this?”

Bai Yi was quite shocked. She had met Shui Ange a couple times before and remembered him as a dashing, elegant man.

How could he get himself in such a state while out building connections for Qian Desheng? It was truly baffling…

Qian Desheng said with a bitter face, “I don’t know. The shop servant heard a rumor this morning about two men with no clothes on lying in the street and went to check it out.”

“When he got there, he realized they looked familiar. After a closer look, he saw it was the young master and brought him back.”

“Seems he spent the night out on the street. His clothes were likely stripped by beggars.”

“But… he was found outside Minister Zhang’s estate. Perhaps he made an enemy of Zhang Chang, but this old servant can’t figure it out no matter how hard I rack my brains. Zhang Chang is also from a prestigious family, he wouldn’t stoop to such a vicious act!”

Suddenly, a faint whiff of alcohol reached Bai Yi’s nose. She couldn’t help covering her mouth and nose, giving Ning Hongyuan a disdainful glance.

He must have gotten drunk and brawled to end up like this…

At the same time, she couldn’t suppress a hint of sorrow. Why were the surviving members of the Qian imperial family all just wine sacks and rice bags…

Sighing inwardly, Bai Yi continued, “How is he now? Is he in any danger?”

Qian Desheng said with difficulty, “Not good… I already had him examined. For now his life isn’t in peril, but… his nose is broken, he lost a few teeth, I’m afraid his looks are ruined. Who knows if he’ll recover…”

“The rest are just superficial wounds that should heal after some rest.”

“Poor young master, he’s the only remaining heir of Ning Wang…”

Finishing his words, Qian Desheng couldn’t help wiping his tears with his sleeve, sobbing.

Perhaps roused by the crying, the previously still Ning Hongyuan stirred and weakly called out, “Water… water…”

Seeing this, Qian Desheng hurriedly took a cup of tea and fed it to Ning Hongyuan. After drinking it down, Ning Hongyuan’s spirits revived considerably.

Spotting Bai Yi at a glance, he cried out in surprise, “Princess!?”

Bai Yi said expressionlessly, “Enough, your mouth is hurt so speak less. Just get to the point. Why were you beaten to this state? What happened last night?”

As soon as Ning Hongyuan opened his mouth, he felt something was off. He quickly touched his face, then his mouth, and said in a panic, “Quick… Quick, get me a mirror!”

Qian Desheng swiftly brought over a copper mirror. Ning Hongyuan scrambled to look into it. The moment he saw his reflection, he was struck dumb as wood!

“Fang Zheng! Fang Zheng!! I…I’ll get you for this… I hate you!!”

Before he could finish, he passed out again…

Fang Zheng!?

Hearing Fang Zheng’s name, Bai Yi felt like she’d been struck by lightning!

Fang Zheng? What did he have to do with this! He went too? Wasn’t the invitation letter used by Shui Ange? Could it be he had another one?

Seeing Ning Hongyuan faint, Qian Desheng hurriedly knelt down and kept pinching the skin between Ning Hongyuan’s nose and upper lip, while looking at Bai Yi.

Bai Yi just stood there rigidly, not moving. Qian Desheng couldn’t help feeling a touch of desolation.

The princess was already like this… Could the Qian dynasty even be revived…

Bai Yi was still standing there in a daze, but her mind was turning over and over.

Why was it that nothing good ever came from encountering Fang Zheng!

The Water God Sect’s secret base was flooded because of him, she ended up being a maid’s maid, and now the person she sent out came back looking neither human nor ghost because of him!

Most importantly, why did Fang Zheng not treat her like a person!

Dressing her up to watch the gate, he never showed a good face! Could it be she really was very ugly and everyone in the palace and sect had just been flattering her?

“Eunuch Qian, am I very ugly?”

“Ah!?”

Qian Desheng looked at Bai Yi, dumbfounded, his sense of desolation deepening.

Was now the time to discuss if she was pretty or ugly!? Princess! What are you focusing on!!?

So the princess was also just a common woman… Worrying about this kind of thing at a time like this… It seemed there was no hope of restoring the country…

At this thought, Qian Desheng felt completely hopeless, instinctively fawning, “The princess has heavenly looks, a top beauty in the world. No man wouldn’t be moved upon seeing you…”

Bai Yi frowned. “I don’t want to hear flattery, I want the truth.”

Hearing the princess ask such an undignified question again, Qian Desheng felt a knife twist in his heart. He said mournfully, “It’s true! Otherwise why would you wear a veil when going out!”

Hearing this, Bai Yi nodded thoughtfully.

That made sense.

She wore a veil precisely to avoid the wolfish and tigerish gazes on the street that the men in the sect gave her.

That meant there was no issue with her looks, so why was Fang Zheng so indifferent to her?

Could it be… he was a eunuch!?

So she continued, “Eunuch Qian, do eunuchs… not like women?”

Qian Desheng had been pinching the skin between Ning Hongyuan’s nose and upper lip for a long time with no reaction and was tortured by Bai Yi’s inane questions. He felt completely dejected.

Powerlessly leaning against the counter, eyes vacant, he still responded in a wooden voice, “Your Highness, being a eunuch doesn’t determine if one likes women or not…”

So that was it!

Bai Yi frowned even deeper. Then could it be… Fang Zheng preferred men? Seeing how he was attached at the hip with Zhang Biao every day… there must be something shady going on!

She continued asking, “Eunuch Qian, if a man likes men…”

Qian Desheng finally couldn’t take it anymore and leaped up, glaring at Bai Yi, two clear lines of tears flowing from his bloodshot eyes. “Princess! Is now the time to consider these issues!? Ah!?”

“Princess ah! What’s wrong with you!? How did you become so abnormal after staying at the Fang estate for a while!? Ah!?”

“What in the world were you doing at the Fang estate!? And why were you wearing a maid’s clothes!? This old servant wanted to ask you about this last time!”

Bai Yi was chastised by his angry rebuke and immediately realized her thoughts had strayed completely off track. She felt utterly ashamed and mumbled, “What else could I be doing at the Fang estate? Naturally I was an honored guest…”

“But the Fang family has no women, so they only had maid’s clothes…”

The more Bai Yi spoke, the redder her face became, feeling extremely aggrieved.

Qian Desheng continued indignantly, “Princess! The Fang family isn’t virtuous! That Xiao Tao maid from their estate not only deceived this old servant last time, but intercepted a batch of fine fabrics provided by Merchant Chen a couple days ago!”

“Who knows how much less this old servant earned!!!”

“A mere maid having such poor character, clearly that Fang Zheng is no good either! Princess! You can’t keep staying at the Fang estate, you must come here!”

Bai Yi lowered her head, her face turning so red it could drip blood. The clothes she was wearing seemed to be sewn from the latest fabrics…

“Princess! Did you hear this old servant!? Come stay here starting tonight!”

Bai Yi pursed her little mouth and looked straight at Qian Desheng. “I won’t go!”

If she left just like that, wouldn’t all the hardship she suffered at the Fang estate be for nothing!?

Absolutely can’t leave!

Seeing Bai Yi’s stubborn gaze, Qian Desheng’s heart suddenly softened…

That’s right, the princess was only sixteen, her country fallen and family destroyed. It wasn’t easy for her to keep living strong after such upheaval… how could he demand more from her.

Forget it… so be it…

“Then please return, Princess… This old servant will go settle the young master. Visit again when you have time.”

Hearing Qian Desheng dismissing her, a hint of dejection flashed in Bai Yi’s beautiful eyes. She left the fabric shop in a daze.

On the way back, the pent-up grievances in her heart seemed to ferment, making her chest ache.

Who knows how long she walked before finally arriving back at the gates of the Fang estate.

Looking up at the massive sign, Bai Yi’s emotions surged even higher.

Just then, Fang Zheng happened to return from his shift. As soon as he got off the carriage, he spotted Bai Yi standing foolishly by the gate.

He raised a hand and called out, “Xiao Bai!”

Hearing him, Bai Yi silently walked over, forcing out a smile. “Young Master, you’re back.”

“Why are you watching the gate again!”

“…………………”

Seeing her not respond, looking a bit down, Fang Zheng suddenly realized!

“I know what’s up! Is it because I didn’t give you a cut from that invitation?”

“Come come come, Young Master will give you money, don’t sulk!”

With that, he fished out a few stinky copper coins from his sleeve and slapped them into Bai Yi’s palm.

Bai Yi froze, staring at the pitiful few coppers in her hand, smelling the faint stench…

The long pent-up emotions suddenly erupted like a volcano!

With a loud “Wah”, she burst into tears, hands covering her face as she rapidly ran into the Fang estate.

Fang Zheng watched in amusement. “Aiyo, getting so worked up over earning a little commission, silly girl!”

…