Chapter 96: Her Lower Back Felt Faintly Sore 

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too. 

The Princess' slender waist was both soft and supple.  

The Young Master truly could not bear to let go.  

Meng Chang'an thought that since she had received the Princess' indulgence and response while kissing her lips, then her second request should not be rejected either.  

The hand resting on that delicate waist slowly moved upward, covering the softness that had been tempting her heart for so long tonight.  

With just a gentle press, she already heard the Princess' suppressed moan.  

This only made the Young Master even more excited.

She refused to let go of the Princess' lips and tongue, nor could she bear to release the smooth and delicate skin beneath her hands. Unfortunately, just as she gave a slight squeeze before she could even bring the Princess any pleasure, her wrist was already caught in the Princess' grasp.  

The lips and tongue that had been entwined with hers also retreated slightly.  

"Did I not say? You are only allowed one request."  

That voice still carried a faint tremor and breathlessness.  

The Princess' eyes shimmered with emotion, unable to conceal the lingering passion.  

With the Princess looking like this, yet saying such words, the Young Master naturally did not believe her.  

Could it be that her anger had not yet subsided?  

Unfortunately, before the Young Master could figure out how to coax the Princess, the Princess had already jumped out of the bath.

Without giving the Young Master a chance to continue admiring the beauty of the Princess stepping out of the bath, the Princess had already draped a robe over herself. She took the bowl of herbal medicine, which had been kept warm for a long time, and handed it to the Young Master.  

Completely ignoring the Young Master’s pitiful expression—one that resembled a child unable to get their candy—the Princess simply curved her lips into a smile and gazed at her.  

"Come out first and drink this warming medicine. Your elder brother said that your body cannot handle the cold."  

That "your elder brother" made Young Master Meng purse her lips in grievance.  

She thought the Princess was truly as bad as ever. When coaxing her with affection, she would say "our elder brother," but when upset, she would immediately draw a line between them?  

"I do not want to drink it."

The Young Master could not get her candy, so she threw a little tantrum. She let out a cold snort in refusal, then tilted her head back and licked her lips, gazing at the Princess with a clear hint.  

"Unless Your Highness feeds me."  

She still remembered vividly how, on the night before she left the capital, the Princess had fed her medicine mouth to mouth in the Princess' residence.  

She longed to taste that sweetness again, yet the Princess refused to indulge her this time. The Princess merely raised an eyebrow slightly and changed the subject.  

"The water is getting cold. If you do not come out now, I will leave."  

No way—had the Princess not coaxed her even once tonight?  

Feeling aggrieved, the Young Master immediately played the rogue, learning from how her master used to act spoiled with her aunt. She stirred up trouble with the Princess without reason.  

"Alright, Your Highness really has changed! It seems the storybooks were right—whether man or woman, they are all the same. When they cannot get something, they keep thinking about it. Once they have it, they stop cherishing it. It seems Your Highness is no different from those heartless men, only stringing me along—mm… mmph…"  

Before she could finish making a scene, the Princess sealed her lips with a kiss.  

The candy she had been thinking about day and night had finally arrived.  

Meng Chang'an was secretly delighted.

She was still sitting in the bathtub. With her nape held in place, she could only tilt her head back and watch as the Princess, from above, fed her the medicine mouthful by mouthful.  

The medicine was clearly bitter, yet being fed this way by the Princess, she felt as though only a faint sweetness lingered in her mouth.  

The lingering drops trickled down the corner of her lips, slid past her neck, and fell into the bathtub.  

The Princess merely brushed away the medicine stain on her neck with a slight movement of her fingers, yet even that made the Young Master shiver uncontrollably.  

"So delicate."

The laughter by her ear carried full helplessness and indulgence. "From now on, read fewer storybooks, or you will let your thoughts run wild all day. Do not worry, I have neither taken you for granted nor changed my heart. From the beginning until now, I have always 'wanted more.' How could I bear to become a heartless person and make you sad? It is just that I still have matters to attend to later tonight and cannot accompany you in fooling around all night. Rather than leaving things unfinished, would it not be better to wait a little longer? Do you not agree?"  

Whether she had her or not, the Princess had always 'wanted more.'  

The one she had longed for all these years had finally and completely become hers. How could she not treasure her?  

But when she thought of how the Young Master had embraced her earlier, eyes filled with a hunger that seemed as if she wanted to devour her whole, the Princess felt apprehensive even before anything had begun. She could already feel a faint soreness creeping up her lower back.

After all, the Young Master was stronger in martial arts and had abundant stamina. If she were to take the lead, she would not be satisfied unless they indulged in pleasure all night.  

Of course, if not for the wrong timing tonight, the Princess would truly be reluctant to refuse her. Ever since she had left the capital and been injured, aside from the occasional kisses and touches, she had not enjoyed the feeling of being served by the Young Master for a long time. Naturally, she was tempted…  

Playing with fire and getting burned was indeed not a pleasant experience.  

Li Qiubai coughed lightly, suppressing the emotions in her eyes. Then, she set down the empty medicine bowl, bent down, and lifted the Young Master from the water.  

The Princess' robe hung loosely, while the Young Master wore nothing.  

The two were pressed tightly together just like that.

The lingering mist from the Young Master’s bath clung to her skin, seeping through their tightly pressed bodies and straight into the Princess' heart.  

It stirred her restless heart, making it burn even hotter.  

The same went for the Young Master.  

But the Princess had only coaxed her a little, and whether it was true or not was still uncertain, yet she could not help feeling overjoyed. This was not good…  

The elders in the sect were right. Once trapped in love, it was like being possessed by ghosts—hard to break free.  

She never expected that just a kiss and a few coaxing words could leave her so flustered, even making her forget how determined she had been to act unreasonably and make things difficult for the Princess.  

The Young Master was secretly annoyed.

A trace of restlessness lingered in her heart, carrying a faint sense of unease.  

Unconsciously, she tightened her arms a little more, wanting to be even closer to the Princess.  

Her head rested against the Princess' neck. When she tilted slightly, her lips brushed against the smooth skin there.  

With just a small movement, the Young Master parted her lips and bit down on the side of her neck.  

The Princess had bitten her so many times tonight and teased her too much. A little bite in return should not be too much, right?

Unfortunately, the Princess had no idea what the Young Master was thinking.  

The pressure on her neck was neither too hard nor too soft. It was not painful at all. Instead, it only made her more restless.  

Because of this teasing bite, the Princess let out a trembling sound.  

"Chang'an… stop biting…"

Meng Chang'an froze for a moment before loosening her bite on the Princess' tender skin. Then, she raised her hand to touch the reddened area on her neck, curling her lips into a teasing smile.  

"What is it? Did you not just say to endure? And now you cannot hold back?"  

Even though the Princess was already burning with desire, she still put on a composed front and retorted, "I am afraid you cannot hold back."  

The beauty who usually gazed at her with seductive eyes now feigned seriousness, which only made her even more alluring.  

The Young Master could not help but laugh. She leaned closer to the Princess' neck, continuing her teasing.  

"Your Highness, your duplicity is so adorable.”

The Young Master finally understood why the Princess always loved teasing her, watching her face flush red.  

Now, seeing the Princess trying so hard to hide her embarrassment, she could not help but want to tease her even more.  

It was only a few short steps, but with the Young Master deliberately making trouble, the Princess felt as if this path had stretched endlessly.  

By the time she finally carried the Young Master past the screen and placed her onto the bed, a fine layer of cold sweat had already formed on her forehead.  

Only then did she notice the white cloth on the Young Master’s arm, dampened by water.  

After carefully wiping the water off her skin, Li Qiubai tucked her snugly into the brocade quilt.  

"Wait for me."

After quickly gathering the necessary items, the Princess returned to the Young Master's side, pulling her arm out from under the covers and untying the damp cloth.  

The wound, after being soaked in water, had begun to expose bits of flesh, turning pale.  

The Princess frowned slightly, deeply regretting what she had done to the Young Master tonight.  

Lowering her head to reapply the medicine and bandage the wound, her eyes were filled with tenderness.  

"For the next few days, do not let your wound touch water again."  

Even the best wound medicine would still sting when applied directly to raw flesh.  

The Young Master endured the pain and itch in her arm, not showing the slightest reaction. Instead, she simply gave the Princess a carefree smile.  

"We martial artists are used to getting hurt. This is just a small injury. It is nothing."  

"Alright. If you say it is nothing, then it is nothing."  

Li Qiubai merely cast a sidelong glance at the Young Master.

After re-bandaging, she fetched the fresh nightclothes that had been prepared earlier and personally helped the Young Master put them on.  

"Since it is nothing, and you do not care, then do as you please. You can toss and make trouble however you like. It would be best if the wound never healed, and if the pain kept eating away at your arm and left a lasting ailment to accompany you for life. After all, our Young Master is ever so brave. How could she possibly care about a little bit of pain?"

The Princess' half-smiling expression, along with her weirdly sarcastic tone, really made the Young Master shiver.  

Meng Chang'an surrendered immediately. She raised her hand and covered the Princess' hand that was adjusting her collar, then smiled ingratiatingly.  

"Alright, alright, alright. I will not touch water, and I will not move around. Before my injury heals, I can only trouble Your Highness to take care of me, just like today. You can even help me bathe. How about it?"

The Princess was finally a little satisfied.  

"No. From now on, you will bathe yourself. I do not want to waste my energy serving someone, only to be disliked in return."

After saying that, the Princess pulled away the hand that the Young Master was tightly holding and stood up. She pressed down on the Young Master's shoulder and forcibly pushed her onto the bed.  

Under the Young Master's gaze, which shifted from shock to shyness and then to anticipation, the Princess only smiled slightly. She pulled over the brocade quilt beside her and wrapped the Young Master up tightly, leaving no gaps.  

"And also, before your injury heals, the Young Master should practice abstinence. Do not have any improper thoughts."  

Only the Young Master's head was left exposed outside the quilt.  

Hearing what the Princess said, the Young Master's face immediately fell.

Was this still her soft and alluring Princess? She had already pushed her down, yet she did nothing and just said such things?  

Recalling what the Princess had said earlier—that before her injury healed, she was not allowed to touch, nor would she be touched—the Young Master could not help but feel wronged. She looked at the Princess and tentatively asked, "Is this a punishment?"  

"Yes."  

Li Qiubai raised her hand and lightly tapped the Young Master's nose, still smiling. "Not just this time. It will be the same in the future. As long as you get hurt and bleed, I do not care how others treat you. But with me, this will be your punishment."  

Did she really have to be punished with abstinence every time she got injured?

If it were truly like this, then this punishment was really unbearable...  

Meng Chang'an wanted to cry but had no tears. She could only try to negotiate with the Princess. "We can talk about the future later. If I ever make you worry again, then I will accept whatever punishment you give me... But this time, I have been wronged! After all, I got this injury for you! Your Highness has always been fair with rewards and punishments. How can there be only punishment without reward? I refuse to accept this!"  

To the Princess, the Young Master's little thoughts were far too easy to see.

"You are right. Today, you do deserve to be punished, but you also deserve a reward."  

Just this one sentence was enough to bring a smile back to the Young Master's face.  

Before the Young Master could continue asking for her reward, the Princess had already reached out her hand. Through the brocade quilt, she traced a circle with her fingertip right over the Young Master's chest. Feeling the Young Master's slight shiver and retreat, she finally chuckled. "If you can obediently lie down and rest now when I return later to keep you company, I will make sure to reward you properly and not let you continue suffering. What do you say?"  

Hearing this, the Young Master could not help but feel even more aggrieved.

Although the Princess' words were full of hints, clearly willing to give her a chance to indulge, she still had to leave her behind at this moment.  

The Young Master pressed her lips together and casually asked, "What are you busy with? Can I not go with you?"  

"You are injured and have caught a cold. It would not be good for you to exhaust yourself again. If your old illness flares up, you will only end up suffering more."  

Meng Chang'an felt a dull pressure in her chest. She immediately turned her head away and responded indifferently, "Oh."  

If not for He Changping and Ye Wuyou’s reminders, the Princess would not have known that every time the Young Master was injured and then exposed to the cold, her body would suffer various discomforts. Feeling feverish or cold was just the least of it—at worst, she could even fall into a deep unconsciousness.

The old problems brought from the mother's womb are not so easy to cure.

The Princess dared not take any risks. She could only coax and deceive the Young Master, not giving her any chance to overexert herself.  

"Wait for me here like a good girl. Otherwise, you will not get the reward you want."  

With that, no matter how unwilling the Young Master was, she could only bite her lip and nod at the Princess with grievance.  

Seeing this, the Princess was very satisfied. She placed a kiss on the Young Master's forehead as comfort before tidying herself up and leaving the Young Master’s room.

Thinking about the Young Master's health was only part of it. The main reason the Princess did not want the Young Master to go along was that she did not want her to see her dirty side.

Even though she knew that the Young Master had grown up in the Demonic Sect and was not like those so-called righteous people of the martial world who saw good and evil in absolute terms, and she certainly would not despise her for her despicable methods, she still refused.  

The Princess only wanted the Young Master to see her bright and radiant self. She did not want her to witness the sinister and ruthless side of her when she was scheming and plotting.  

Even if she was covered in filth, even if her hands were stained with blood, she would still present her best self before her beloved.

When Li Qiubai reappeared before everyone, Ye Wuyou and the others were sitting in the main hall of the painted boat, chatting and snacking.

Seeing the Princess arrive, He Changping immediately stopped peeling nuts for Ye Wuyou, got up, and went to meet her, asking, “How is Chang’an?”  

His tone was still calm, but there was a faint trace of worry in his eyes.  

After all, they both cared about the same person.  

The Princess understood and simply smiled as she explained, “It is nothing serious. She just drank her medicine and lay down to rest. I already had Yuechu stay outside to keep watch. You can rest assured.”  

Hearing this, He Changping and Lin Xingyang finally felt at ease. However, Ye Wuyou, who had followed He Changping forward, gave a knowing smile. She even fearlessly leaned close to the Princess’ ear and teased in a hushed voice,  

“I told them she would be fine, but they refused to believe me. Now it seems that silly girl is recovering quite well. She even had the energy to make trouble with you…”

Even after experiencing such a thrilling battle, a desperate escape, and an unbearably intimate encounter, the Princess only needed a brief moment to compose herself before reappearing in front of everyone with the same poised, elegant, and noble demeanor.  

No one would have imagined how alluring she had been just moments ago in front of the Young Master.  

If not for the faint bite marks and red imprints visible on the Princess’ neck, no one would have guessed that, in just the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the two of them had managed to do so much inside that room…  

Though Ye Wuyou had spoken softly, the two people standing closest were among the top young martial artists of the Jianghu, both possessing profound internal energy. How could they possibly fail to hear her words?

Lin Xingyang stared at the Princess in surprise.  

The question that had long piqued the young general’s curiosity finally had an answer.  

He had never expected that Elder Sister Chang’an, who always seemed so shy and thin-skinned, would actually be the one above?  

Poor him—he had even placed a bet with Yuechu, wagering that the Princess would take the lead. But judging from the current situation, that fine piece of Hetian jade he had staked was about to belong to Yuechu…  

Unlike Lin Xingyang’s look of shock mixed with regret as he gazed at the Princess, He Changping was very ashamed upon hearing those words.  

It felt as if his family’s pig had run off to trample someone else’s precious cabbage, leaving him with a deep sense of guilt and shame.  

He truly had not expected his own younger sister to be such a beast…

Her injury has not healed, yet already thinking about bullying the Princess?  

This was all thanks to the Princess not holding it against her…  

Otherwise, He Changping truly had no idea how many lives his younger sister would need to keep up this habit of bullying the Imperial Princess…  

The burning gazes from the side were impossible for the Princess to ignore, no matter how much she wanted to.  

Following Ye Wuyou’s line of sight downward, Li Qiubai finally understood what she was hinting at.  

The spot where the Young Master had bitten her was truly unfortunate…  

Her collar could not fully cover the bite marks and bruises. If she was not careful, the red marks would peek out from beneath the fabric.  

That silly girl could be quite clever when it came to things like this…

No matter how embarrassed or annoyed the Princess felt inside, she did not let it show on her face. She merely adjusted her collar slightly to cover the marks left by the Young Master before pushing Ye Wuyou’s head away, maintaining a calm expression as she changed the subject.  

"Did everything go smoothly for you all tonight? Have you secured the items?"  

Indeed, as long as you are not embarrassed, the only ones feeling awkward will always be others.

Seeing that she could not get a reaction of embarrassment or frustration from Li Qiubai, Ye Wuyou was somewhat disappointed. She could only step back two paces with a sheepish expression and reply, “Do you still not trust me to handle things properly?”  

Unlike the casual dynamic between Ye Wuyou and the Princess, Lin Xingyang and He Changping were much more reserved toward her. They cupped their fists in greeting and spoke in unison, “We have fulfilled our mission without failure!”  

Once they began discussing official matters, time passed quickly.  

After confirming whether there were any deviations in tonight’s plans and assigning the remaining tasks, Li Qiubai finally turned to Ye Wuyou and said, “Where is Shi Hongzhang? Take me to see him.”  

The painted boat was a specially designed vessel of Wushang Palace. It could be used for leisure or serve as a warship when needed. The prison cells within had also been custom-built by Wushang Palace—concealed and secure. Even if those imprisoned inside could not endure the torture and screamed at the top of their lungs, no one outside would hear a thing.

The Military Commissioner of Lingnan East Circuit, Shi Hongzhang, was now occupying one of the prison cells.  

When he was ambushed at the viewing pavilion, his body was already covered in wounds. Later, he was dragged into the river and forced to escape underwater, making his suffering even worse. By the time he was thrown into this cell, he was already on the brink of death.  

However, the people who had captured him simply left him there. They did not help him ward off the cold or change his clothes, nor did they subject him to any form of torture. They merely tossed him inside and ignored him completely.  

Shi Hongzhang had no idea who was behind this. As he lay in the cold, dark cell for a long time, he felt fear and dread. But as someone who once held great power, he understood one thing—his captors had not killed him on the spot, which meant they still had use for him.

It did not matter whether the person behind this was after profit or power. What mattered to him was that as long as he could keep his life, that was enough.  

He believed in himself. Since he had survived a great calamity, it must have been heaven’s blessing. This time, he was certain he could find another way out.  

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too. 

After all, keeping his life was far better than dying under the assassins' blades at the viewing pavilion, where all they wanted was to take his head.  

Just as Shi Hongzhang was drifting off into sleep, a series of footsteps suddenly echoed in his ears, jolting him awake in an instant.  

He could not guess who the visitors were or what they wanted. So, he remained in his original position, lying motionless on the ground, waiting silently for the newcomers to speak.

Contrary to his expectations, Shi Hongzhang had assumed that the visitors would not dare reveal their true faces before him, which was why they had blindfolded him the entire time.  

Yet, just as the sound of a wooden stool scraping against the floor reached his ears, the cloth covering his eyes was suddenly lifted.  

The sudden light was unbearable for eyes that had been in darkness for so long.  

Before he could even make out who was sitting before him, the pain forced him to squeeze his eyes shut once again.  

“Splash him awake.”  

As soon as the cold, indifferent voice fell, what landed on his face was even colder water.  

One ladle after another splashed onto him, making him shiver from the cold and wince from the stinging pain. He choked and coughed up several mouthfuls of water, unable to catch his breath.  

The rough treatment made Shi Hongzhang miserable.  

He felt that it was now even harder to open his eyes. When he realized that they were not merely trying to wake him but rather to put him in his place, he could no longer hold back. Taking advantage of the brief pause between the splashes, he hurriedly began to beg for mercy.  

“Cough… cough cough… Have mercy, good sirs! Please, spare my life…”

With that, the splashes of cold water finally stopped.  

But what followed was a disdainful scoff.  

“Tsk, useless. You cannot even endure this bit of suffering? And this kind of coward dares to lead troops?”  

Shi Hongzhang had never heard this woman's voice before. He did not know what grudge she held against him, so he could only force his heavy eyelids open, struggling to see the face of the speaker.  

Unfortunately, the water clinging to his eyelashes blurred his vision.  

The figures before him were hazy. He could make out a few silhouettes but could not discern their faces.  

However, the next voice that rang out—Shi Hongzhang recognized it instantly.  

“Mm, you are right. He truly lacks the virtue to match his position.”  

That voice, laced with amusement, was none other than the Princess’—the very one he had met at the banquet earlier tonight.  

Shi Hongzhang shuddered violently. He shook his head desperately, blinking away the water droplets clinging to his lashes. Only then did he finally see the figure seated on the redwood armchair.  

“Your…Your Highness?”

At that, the person curved her lips into a faint smile and greeted him, “Lord Shi, I trust you have been well?”  

Shi Hongzhang could not help but shiver.  

So it really was her…  

Back in the viewing pavilion, they had all been dressed in fine garments, and he had been able to watch coldly as Prince of Yu and this person clashed.  

Yet how long had it been since then?  

Why was she still seated high above, while he had fallen so low—reduced to a mere prisoner, unworthy even of sitting before her?  

Shi Hongzhang could not understand why she had gone to such lengths to have him brought here.  

But even if he could not figure it out, after careful thought, his initial panic gradually subsided.

Since it was not some unpredictable jianghu outlaws who had captured him but rather someone from the court, then things would be much easier to handle.  

With his hands bound behind his back, Shi Hongzhang could not get up on his own. He had no choice but to remain lying on the ground, tilting his head to look in Li Qiubai’s direction as he forced a strained smile.  

“I wonder why Your Highness has invited me here? If Your Highness had any need of me, you could have simply sent someone to deliver a message. Was there really any need to go through all this trouble to have me brought here in such a grand manner? If word of this got out, it might tarnish Your Highness’ reputation.”  

His words sounded polite, but between the lines, was he not accusing the Princess of using force against him?  

Ye Wuyou could not stand how these court officials always spoke in circles, making veiled threats. She directly snatched a water ladle from a nearby guard, stepped forward, and planted a foot on Shi Hongzhang’s shoulder before pouring another ladle of water onto his face—just to wake him up properly.

“Lord Shi, do you even know whose territory this is? Her Highness has not even questioned you yet, and you dare to twist words and make threats? I think you must be tired of living!”  

“Hiss… ah…!”  

The pain in his shoulder was excruciating, piercing straight to the bone.  

Shi Hongzhang cried out in agony, cold sweat dripping down his face.  

Yet, the Princess sitting before him still had the leisure to sip tea in such a situation, watching his suffering with narrowed eyes and a smile.  

She was doing this on purpose.  

But as a prisoner, already subjected to such punishment, how could Shi Hongzhang dare to show any defiance toward the Princess?  

No matter how much hatred boiled in his heart, the words that left his mouth were still trembling pleas for mercy, choked with pain.  

“Your Highness, please spare me… spare me… I was wrong…”  

Only then did the one seated in the wooden chair leisurely speak.  

“That is enough. Untie Lord Shi.”  

Li Qiubai unhurriedly placed the lid back on her teacup, setting it on the wooden table beside her before continuing.  

“Is Lord Shi finally clear-headed now? Do you think I had you brought here bound? This was clearly an act of saving your life. If you do not wish to thank me, fine, but what kind of nonsense are you spouting?”  

Shi Hongzhang: “…”

If the Princess were not wearing that leisurely, carefree smile at this moment, and if there were not the ever-present threat of her foot poised to crush his shoulder at any second, Shi Hongzhang might have almost believed her nonsense.

Author's Note:

Do not worry! This time, the author will not disappear again and will persist in updating to the end! The author has truly turned over a new leaf and is now writing hard. The last time I went to a bar with my friends, after I managed to get them drunk, I quietly hid in a corner and took out my phone to write! So please believe that I am working hard on writing!