Chapter 30: Hidden Motives

Chapter 30: Hidden Motives

Li Zhiming arrived at the prefect's residence and specifically explained the matter to Prefect Cui, learning some information.

It was said that there was an unknown force in Liangzhou, and even when he was prefect, he had no way to deal with them, as if someone was backing them from behind the scenes.

With this news, he felt a bit more confident.

"Young Master Li."

As Li Zhiming was passing through the garden and heading toward the main gate, Cui Liuer suddenly appeared and called out to him.

He stopped in his tracks: "Miss Cui."

They had only met yesterday, and he had given her a gift. Now meeting again suddenly, it felt like seeing someone he was pursuing, and he felt a little shy.

Cui Liuer whispered something to her maidservant, and though he didn't know what was said, the maidservant then left.

Only the two of them remained in the garden. Li Zhiming walked alongside her, strolling slowly along the small pebble path, feeling particularly cheerful.

After a moment of silence, Li Zhiming spoke up: "May I ask what Miss Cui has to say?"

He thought Cui Liuer had come to see him off.

Cui Liuer let out a low chuckle, pulled a jade pendant from her robe, and her cheeks flushed: "Young Master Li, I'm not here to talk business today. When you hurried over today, I thought you had come to ask for my hand."

"Ask for your hand?"

Li Zhiming was startled.

He had never even thought of that.

Seeing his reaction, Cui Liuer pouted unhappily: "What, does Young Master Li still look down on me? It seems Liuer was flattering herself, reaching above her station."

The jealousy in her words was practically dripping.

"No, that's not it." Li Zhiming instinctively grabbed her wrist, "That's not what I meant. If you have feelings for me, I'm naturally happy."

"Then will you marry me? Will you ask for my hand?"

Cui Liuer stared at him with fiery eyes.

Li Zhiming opened his mouth to agree, but felt that deciding something so important so hastily seemed unwise.

He did like pretty girls, and with his current status, having multiple wives and concubines was no problem, but having the first one happen so fast felt wrong somehow, making him feel weird inside.

Seeing him not respond, Cui Liuer's hand tightened, as if she had resolved to do something, and she threw herself into his arms: "Young Master Li..."

"!!"

Li Zhiming instinctively tried to push her away, but she only hugged him tighter.

This, this, this—are all women this forward and bold?

"Young Master Li, if you gave me a jade pendant, isn't that a sign of your love? You clearly have feelings for me, so why be like this? If you refuse to marry me, then I can only die."

With that, she started crying, looking so pitiful.

Li Zhiming's heart immediately softened, and he fumbled to pull a handkerchief from his robe and handed it to her: "Don't cry, don't cry. That's not what I meant. I'm willing, I'm willing."

"Really?"

Cui Liuer's tears turned to laughter.

"Really." Li Zhiming smiled uncomfortably and pried her off of him.

Cui Liuer was overjoyed and didn't care at all. She happily made Li Zhiming swear a promise that he would come to propose as soon as he returned from Liangzhou.

Li Zhiming really couldn't say no to a beauty, and after some hesitation, he agreed.

Thinking about it, he was a little thrilled.

The two sat in the pavilion chatting, looking like a match made in heaven. Li Zhiming gradually relaxed and accepted that he might have a girlfriend now, and his bad mood turned cheerful.

When he left the Cui residence, Li Zhiming's mouth was nearly split from grinning.

What he didn't know was that before he had even walked a hundred steps from the Cui residence, a man in black darted into the Cui family garden.

"Miss, why are you so happy? Did it succeed?"

The maidservant asked.

Cui Liuer nodded with a beaming smile: "Of course. When I make a move, how could it fail?"

"But Miss, I heard that the eldest young master of the Prime Minister's residence is a playboy who likes frequenting brothels. His behavior isn't exactly upright. Would Miss really like that?"

"That doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter?"

The maidservant looked bewildered. Cui Liuer smiled and tapped her on the head.

"You dummy, he's the son of the Prime Minister. Isn't it normal for him to like having fun? What I want is for him to marry me. As long as I become his wife and have his child, I don't care how he lives it up."

She held the jade pendant in her palm, squeezing it hard.

"I still don't understand. Doesn't Miss want a lifelong partner, just the two of you together? Why go to all this trouble to get close to him?"

"You wouldn't understand. A woman can only depend on a man in this life, and men are all untrustworthy. Only status is the most secure. I have to marry someone no matter what, so rather than having my father marry me off to some minor household, I'd rather put in the effort myself."

The maidservant looked at her, confused and thoughtful.

Cui Liuer smiled with satisfaction: "I think the rumors aren't necessarily true. Young Master Li isn't that wild. I even threw myself into his arms, and he acted like a pure and innocent virgin, not at all like the experienced womanizer the rumors describe."

"Perhaps that's true."

The maidservant echoed her.

"So, maybe I've caught a big one."

"Miss is right. This way, Miss has the power to choose—second only to one, above all others. Isn't that so?"

"Not bad, you're smart. Go make a pot of tea."

"Yes, Miss."

The maidservant went off cheerfully, and Cui Liuer sat in the garden waiting. Suddenly, everything went black, and she passed out.

...

“My lord, I’ve brought the girl.”

Cui Liuer, blindfolded and gagged, was hurled inside, landing hard on a filthy pile of straw and sending dust flying.

“Cough, cough...”

She coughed and sputtered, trying to yank the cloth off, but her hands were grabbed.

Sang Yu slipped off his black robe and turned around slowly, faint dimples flickering at the corners of his mouth. His voice was smooth and refined, like a cultured young gentleman’s: “Why so rough with a beauty? Let her go.”

“Yes.”

Once the cloth was pulled off, Cui Liuer immediately yelled, “Do you know who I am? My father is a court official. You dare kidnap me? You got a death wish?”

“If it’s money you want, my dad’ll pay whatever you ask. Just let me go!!”

She was rattled—a spoiled young lady who’d never been through anything like this, her voice shaking with fear.

Sang Yu just smiled at her, saying nothing.

Cui Liuer squinted, letting her eyes adjust, and finally got a clear look at the man in front of her.

He wore a white jade robe, a jade pendant at his waist chiming softly, catching the moonlight with a faint gleam.

His hands were clasped behind his back, his frame tall and graceful. A jade crown sat on his head, loose strands of hair at his temples drifting in the breeze. He stood straight, the picture of a noble young master.

But it was his face that stood out—striking features, faint dimples, and a flicker of warmth in his eyes that made it impossible to look away.

Cui Liuer’s mind went blank for a second, and she blushed for no reason. Her voice softened: “Sir, you have a kind face—you can’t be a bad man. Did my father do you wrong?”

After a pause, she added, a little hesitant, “Or… do you have something else in mind?”

Sang Yu gave a tight-lipped smile. “So you don’t recognize me, miss?”

“What do you mean?”

“Something else in mind.”