Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Once we boarded the carriage, Liu Yunchu poured tea. I poured a cup for myself as well, turning the tea bowl idly in my hands.

Liu Yunchu watched me do it twice. “The way you turn your tea is exactly the same as His Majesty.”

I gave a perfunctory reply. “Mm. Then I suppose it isn’t a coincidence.”

Liu Yunchu choked on that. After a moment, he asked, “Now that Your Highness’s origins have been revealed, boundless wealth and honor await you. Are you truly not happy?”

I asked him frankly, “To be drowned in the river as a sacrifice to the gods, sent down a road that leads only to death-does Young Master Liu think I should be happy?”

Liu Yunchu lost his composure for a moment and knocked over his teacup.

“How do you know that? Who told you?”

I righted the cup he had knocked over.

“I am young and beautiful, peerless in grace. Young Master Liu fell in love with me at first sight and could not bear to see me die, so he told me about it. What do you think? Isn’t that perfectly reasonable?”

Liu Yunchu’s brows drew together in a knot.

“You knew your identity all along and deliberately set a trap to drag me into this.”

Of course I knew my identity. No one knew better than I did who I was.

How interesting.

I lied right to Liu Yunchu’s face, yet he had no way to refute my lie.

A flash of killing intent passed through Liu Yunchu’s eyes.

I smiled brightly. “Does Young Master Liu dare to kill me?”

The Cao family’s carriage was right behind us.

Liu Yunchu truly was the legitimate son of an aristocratic family. In the span of a few breaths, he had already regained his composure.

“You think you can scheme against me with a few empty words and no proof?”

I pulled back my sleeve, revealing the chastity mark on my arm.

“Then let me show Young Master Liu another little trick.”

These past days, while digging graves, I had deliberately kept my sleeves rolled up. Many people had seen this chastity mark.

I brushed my hand over it, and the chastity mark vanished before both our eyes.

“Young Master Liu, once we get out of this carriage, everyone will know there is something improper between us.”

“There are witnesses and physical evidence. Young Master Liu will not be able to shake me off. If I do something I should not after entering the palace, I imagine it will all be because I was traumatized by the matter of being sacrificed to the gods-and the blame will fall on you.”

Liu Yunchu’s voice grew colder and colder.

“Shameless.”

I laughed softly. “A person about to die naturally has no taboos.”

“Since Young Master Liu does not dare kill me, you will have to comply with me.”

After a long while, Liu Yunchu finally asked, “What do you want?”

I softened my tone.

“Young Master Liu, my mother never betrayed His Majesty, yet after he returned to court, he set aside his wife and married another, casting my mother away like a worn-out shoe. As her daughter, I only wish to seek justice for her.”

“Rest assured, Young Master Liu. No matter what I do, I will not be your enemy.”

Liu Yunchu was silent for a long time. “You are a good girl.”

I nearly laughed at that.

Liu Yunchu was indeed a fascinating man.

He gave me his promise. “As long as it does not harm the Liu Family’s interests, I can help you.”

I was satisfied. “Very good. From this moment on, Young Master Liu and I are mutually in love.”

I raised a hand and poured Liu Yunchu’s tea onto the floor.

Liu Yunchu stared at me. I said leisurely, “This tea is bad for the body. Young Master Liu should not drink it again.”