Chapter 228 -

Chapter 228: Chapter

Dong Li’s heart hammered heavily against his ribs. Looking down at Qianqian’s tear-stained face, her desperate confession pierced right through his heart.

Before he could say another word, Qianqian pulled him down by his collar.

She pressed her hot, trembling lips straight onto his.

Dong Li went completely rigid. Her lips were soft, warm, and sweet, burning against his cold skin. He held his breath, his eyes wide in absolute shock. Every single drop of logic in his mind told him to pull away, to remember his low status as a plain soldier, but her breathless whimpers broke his resolve.

Unable to fight his own heart any longer, Dong Li let out a low groan. He wrapped his strong arm around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his broad chest, and kissed her back with deep, unvented passion.

The dark room felt hot and quiet, filled only with the soft sound of their breathless kiss. For a few sweet seconds, Dong Li forgot about his duty, his status, and the dangerous world outside. He kissed her like a starving man tasting water for the very first time.

But as her body began to limp in his arms from the overwhelming heat of the poison, reality hit him like a bucket of ice water.

I cannot ruin her, Dong Li thought bitterly. She deserves honor, not a secret affair in a dirty pavilion.

He gently pulled his lips away from hers, his chest rising and falling heavily. Looking down at her flushed, teary face, he saw pure devotion in her unfocused eyes.

"I am sorry, Lady Qianqian," Dong Li whispered softly, his voice full of aching pain. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

Before she could process his words, Dong Li reached out and swiftly pressed a delicate pressure point on the back of her neck. Qianqian’s eyes fluttered shut, and her head fell limply against his shoulder as she passed out cold.

Dong Li carefully scooped her up into a firm bridal carry, holding her delicate body securely against his chest. He kicked open the door, keeping his steps quiet as he carried her down the back staircase of the pavilion to avoid any watchful eyes.

He reached the quiet alley where his horse was tied. Dong Li gently placed Qianqian onto the saddle, making sure her head rested comfortably against the soft leather satchel while wrapping her securely in his thick black cloak. Once he was completely sure she was safe and wouldn’t fall, he turned around, his eyes turning as cold and sharp as ice.

It was time to collect the debt.

Dong Li slipped back inside the pavilion, hiding in the shadows of the upper hallway like a silent ghost.

Just then, the door to the main hall opened. The arrogant young lady who had planned the cruel plot stepped outside into the hallway. She looked around, turning to her personal maid with a smug, wicked smirk.

"Go find that filthy, drunk beggar from the alley," the young lady instructed in a quiet, vicious voice. "Drag him up here and put him in the end room with Qianqian. I want to make sure her reputation is completely destroyed by tomorrow morning!"

"Yes, Young Mistress!" the maid whispered, bowing quickly before turning and rushing down the stairs.

The young lady chuckled softly to herself, folding her arms as she turned around to head back into her room.

Before she could take even a single step, a shadow darted out from the dark corner.

Thwack!

Dong Li’s heavy hand struck the back of her neck with brutal precision. The young lady didn’t even have time to gasp,her eyes rolled back, and her body went completely limp as she collapsed toward the floor. Dong Li caught her before she hit the ground, preventing any sound from echoing through the quiet hallway.

With a cold, emotionless face, Dong Li carried the unconscious young lady down the hall and threw her straight onto the bed in the dark room where Qianqian had been hidden. He pulled a thick silk veil over her face to hide her features, pulled the blankets up to her chest, and stepped back out into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind him.

A few minutes later, the maid returned, dragging a heavily intoxicated, dirty man up the stairs.

"She is inside," the maid whispered nervously, pointing toward the dark room at the end of the hall. "Go in and do whatever you want. The door is unlocked."

The drunk man chuckled foolishly, stumbling straight into the dark room. He slammed the heavy wooden door shut and locked it tight from the inside, completely unaware of who was actually lying on that bed.

Outside, hidden in the shadows of the stairwell, Dong Li watched the door lock. A cold, satisfied glint flashed in his eyes.

You tried to destroy the General’s sister, Dong Li thought darkly. Now, you will taste your own poison.

Without waiting another second, Dong Li turned on his heel and walked out of the pavilion. He unknotted his horse, climbed up into the saddle behind the sleeping Qianqian, and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist to keep her warm and safe.

Kicking the horse into a gentle trot, Dong Li rode through the cool evening air, bringing Qianqian safely back home to the Xi estate.

The moment Dong Li pulled his horse to a sharp stop in front of the main courtyard, several maids rushed forward with lantern light illuminating the dark, cool night.

"Call the imperial physician immediately!" Dong Li barked, his voice stern and commanding as he carefully lifted Qianqian down from the saddle. "Make sure he brings something to clear strong poison!"

The maids gasped in terror, two of them instantly scurrying off to fetch the doctor while the others stepped in to gently support the unconscious Qianqian.

Standing on the high marble steps of the main hall, Madame Xi was already waiting with Lanyin by her side. A thick fur coat was draped loosely over Madame Xi’s shoulders, her face pale with worry. The moment she saw her young daughter being carried down in a limp state, she rushed down the steps, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Dong Li!" Madame Xi called out, her voice trembling as she approached the guardsman. "What in the world happened to my Qianqian?!"

Dong Li bowed his head deeply, his voice cold and steady as he explained everything. He detailed how he found Qianqian drugged in a shady pavilion room, how a group of jealous noble daughters had planned to ruin her reputation before she could even debut at the upcoming royal banquet, and how he had rescued her just in time.

Hearing the full truth, Madame Xi’s face turned completely red with rage, her hands trembling so hard her silk coat nearly slipped from her shoulders.

"Insolent, vicious snakes!" Madame Xi spat, her eyes burning with pure fury. "They dare try to humiliate and destroy my daughter before she even makes her debut?! Do they think the Xi family is dead?!"

Lanyin stepped forward, gently adjusting the fur coat over her mother’s shoulders to keep her warm. Her usual gentle and calm expression had completely vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating look that proved she was indeed General Xi’s sister.

"Mother, do not endanger your health over such trash," Lanyin said softly, a sharp, dangerous glint flashing in her dark eyes. "Qianqian is home and safe now. As for those who dared to scheme against her... do not worry. I will personally make sure that tomorrow morning, the people who ’catch’ that young lady in that pavilion are high-ranking officials and gossiping noblewomen, enough to completely destroy her entire life and family reputation forever."

Duchess Xi nodded slowly, her tense posture relaxing just a fraction as she let out a long, heavy breath. She turned to Dong Li, her sharp eyes softening with deep, genuine gratitude.

"Thank you, Dong Li," the Duchess said sincerely. "You saved my daughter tonight. The Xi family owes you a debt."

Dong Li bowed his head low, his face remaining completely calm and emotionless. "It is my duty, Madam. I will take my leave to inform the General of everything that transpired."

With a swift bow, he turned on his heel and walked away through the quiet, torch-lit corridor toward Wenzhe’s courtyard.

Duchess Xi stood at the top of the marble steps, her gaze lingering on Dong Li’s tall, retreating back until his silhouette disappeared into the darkness of the inner estate. Lanyin stood quietly beside her mother, watching the guardsman walk away as well.

"Mother," Lanyin spoke up gently, breaking the silence. "Dong Li has been with our family for so long that sometimes I even forget he isn’t actually related to us."

The Duchess let out a soft, nostalgic sigh, wrapping her fur coat a little tighter around her shoulders against the cool night air.

"Dong Li was born in the middle of war," the Duchess said quietly, her voice full of old memories. "Your father found him abandoned on a bloody battlefield, hidden beneath a pile of broken shields. His mother was likely a poor village woman who gave birth while fleeing from the soldiers. Your father took the boy in, brought him home, and had him raised among the toughest, most hardened warriors in the camp."

Lanyin listened attentively as her mother continued, her eyes reflecting the flickering flame of the lanterns.

"When he was old enough to handle a blade, your father assigned him directly to Wenzhe, making him his personal guard and trusted subordinate," Duchess Xi added, looking toward the dark sky. "He has known nothing but loyalty, duty, and war his entire life."

Meanwhile, Dong Li arrived at Wenzhe’s private study. He knocked twice on the heavy wooden door before stepping inside.

Wenzhe was sitting by his desk, a scroll laid out in front of him, though his mind was clearly still occupied with thoughts of Yueqing. When he saw Dong Li enter, his dark eyes sharpened instantly.

"Is Qianqian safe?" Wenzhe asked in a deep, authoritative voice.

"Lady Qianqian has been returned safely to her courtyard, General," Dong Li reported, standing at rigid attention. "The physician is currently examining her."

Dong Li then laid out the entire situation without missing a single detail.

Listening to the report, Wenzhe’s expression grew colder by the second, a deadly, terrifying aura radiating off his body.

"They dared to touch my sister," Wenzhe growled out, his voice dropping into a lethal whisper. "Lanyin and my mother will handle the public scandal tomorrow morning, but find out every single family name backing those girls. By tomorrow night, I want their fathers’ political power completely stripped."

"Understood, General," Dong Li replied firmly.

"You did well tonight, Dong Li," Wenzhe added, his sharp gaze lingering on his guard’s face. "Go get some rest."

Dong Li bowed deeply and stepped back out into the quiet courtyard, his heart heavy as he looked up at the direction of Qianqian’s lighted windows.