Chapter Eighteen: The Heir Cannot Bear It

After a night of chaos, as the first light of dawn softly broke, Jiang Lan gritted her teeth and used another precious Swift Step Talisman to reach the pleasure boat. Even she blushed and gave a silent thumbs-up at the commotion inside the room.

Glancing at the sun outside, Jiang Lan nevertheless knocked on the door, coughing several times in feigned embarrassment.

The sounds inside stopped abruptly. "Who is it?"

"It's me."

A young attendant inside hastily dressed and opened the door, head bowed and cheeks flushed, not daring to look Jiang Lan in the eye. Who knew how much the young master had overheard, or whether he was satisfied.

Jiang Lan seated herself at the round table. Behind the screen, the breathless cries of passion made it clear her drug had been a touch too potent.

"Master~ Master, come here~"

It was still early; the two women, still under the influence, were barely distinguishable, their sensations heightened, and finding themselves alone, they wandered out from behind the screen, barely clothed and unable to bear their loneliness.

For a moment, the scene was exceedingly risqué. Though Jiang Lan turned away quickly, she still caught glimpses of the marks left upon the women—everywhere, no less.

He must have put in quite the effort.

At this hour, with most aboard the boat still asleep, no matter how much noise they made, no one would come. Jiang Lan glanced at the attendant, whose face was still flushed. Could the drug be contagious?

Seeing one of the women about to throw herself at him, Jiang Lan jumped away. "The effects haven’t worn off yet. Try a bit harder—afterwards, you’ll be by my side. You won’t be mistreated."

With that, Jiang Lan grabbed her discarded clothes and hurried out.

She didn’t go far, instead slipping into the adjacent empty room to change. Out of consideration for their esteemed guest, neither room on either side was occupied.

Utterly exhausted, Jiang Lan stuffed cotton in her ears and fell into a deep sleep. The noise from next door was considerable; she felt, perhaps, her plan had been a bit excessive.

Outside, there was a commotion. Jiang Lan opened the window a crack and saw a large boat approaching her pleasure barge.

A faint smile touched her lips.

On the deck of the approaching vessel, surrounded by maids and attendants, stood a man and a woman. The man was tall and imposing; the woman, radiant and proud, her beauty dazzling but marred by a trace of arrogance between her brows—if only a little less, she would have been a peerless beauty.

“Cousin, don’t be upset. I’m sure the Young Lord was led astray by villains, which is why he lingered in such a place,” the man said.

“Yes, Princess, do not harm your health with anger,” another chimed in.

Princess Ningyuan brushed the palace maid’s hand aside, her brows knit in distress, her spring-like beauty veiled in sorrow.

“Cousin, there’s no need to defend him. The matter with the Liang Kingdom’s princess isn’t even resolved yet, and now this. Clearly, he doesn’t care about his engagement to me,” she said coldly.

The Prince’s heir, Li Shengmao, kept his gaze on Chen Mo, his heart aching at her sorrow.

“Cousin—”

Suddenly, tears slid down Chen Mo’s cheeks.

“Help me, cousin. I don’t want to marry such a wastrel.”

A beauty in tears can make any hero’s heart tremble. Having protected this little girl all his life, how could he let anyone mistreat her? No one else was worthy.

“Very well.”

That morning, a fine drizzle fell over the lake, thick as clarified butter. At the bow of the boat, beneath an oil-paper umbrella, two souls stood together.

Chen Mo and Li Shengmao boarded the pleasure barge, immediately surrounding everyone on board. Sword in hand, Li Shengmao strode straight into the room still echoing with passion, slicing the screen apart with a single stroke.

“Who are you?”

Jiang Lan’s attendant had never seen such a scene and was terrified. The two drugged women still clung to him, their porcelain arms wrapped around his body, one in front and one behind, endlessly teasing.

Even someone as disciplined as Li Shengmao found his resolve wavering at the sight. Fortunately, years in the military had taught him restraint. Realizing he’d entered the wrong room, he quickly closed the door and left.

He summoned his trusted aide. “Are you sure the information was correct? That this is Duke Wei’s son’s boat?”

The aide was puzzled. The information was reliable, but the person inside was clearly not Duke Wei’s son.

How could such a frail youth withstand two women and keep at it all night? Something was off.

“Your Highness, this is my fault—there’s deception here.”

Li Shengmao’s face darkened. “Return and accept your punishment.”

“Should we continue searching the boat, Your Highness?”

“Do you want to embarrass us any further? Withdraw!”

With a low growl, Li Shengmao led his men back to their own ship.

“Cousin, he’s not on the boat. You can rest easy now.” Li Shengmao didn’t know how he managed to say this through gritted teeth; his heart was in turmoil.

Chen Mo’s flash of anger vanished quickly, replaced by a pitifully delicate expression.

“Whether he was on that boat or not, cousin, I will not go through with this marriage,” she said softly.

Li Shengmao clenched his fists. “Very well. I’ll help you.”

After they left, Jiang Lan tossed a large pouch of silver through the window. “Do as you see fit. Return to the manor in a few days.”

She found a small boat, went ashore, and returned home—only to find the entire household in chaos.

She grabbed a harried attendant. “What’s happened here?”

The attendant, rushing by, didn’t even look up. “The young master didn’t return last night. When the princess heard, she caused a huge scene and went to the pleasure district to find him. The young lady is frantic and sent us all out to search—you should hurry, too—wait, Young Master!”

Jiang Lan nodded. “Go tell the young lady I’ve returned.”

The attendant nodded and scampered off, not daring to trouble the young lord any further.

Jiang Lan returned to her room and slept straight through until noon. Stretching, she wandered into the main hall, only to find Jiang Si seated upright to the right.

“Sister, what brings you here? Have you eaten? Would you join your brother for a meal?”

Jiang Lan swung herself easily onto a stool by the round table. Xi Chi immediately brought breakfast.

With a bun in one hand and another in her mouth, Jiang Lan said, “Sister, want a bun?”

Before Jiang Si could refuse, Jiang Lan stuffed it into her own mouth.

“……”

Polishing off her porridge in one breath, Jiang Lan wiped her mouth and sat opposite Jiang Si.

“Are you here about last night?”

Jiang Si shook her head. “If brother won’t speak, I won’t ask.”

“Then what brings you here?”

Jiang Si drew a note from her sleeve. “Brother, look at this.”

Jiang Lan opened it. It read: “Last night, Third Young Master Xing encountered evil spirits and fell unconscious. Minister Xing has summoned the Celestial Bureau, and Master Yu is conducting a ritual.”

“Master Yu—who is he?” Jiang Lan was intrigued. She’d met many recently, but none who claimed the title ‘Celestial Master.’

“I’m not sure. I heard he’s second only to the Twelve Celestial Masters, and quite capable.”

Jiang Si glanced at her brother’s calm expression. “Now that Third Young Master Xing is ill in bed, our matter with the shop will naturally be postponed.”

Jiang Lan nodded, pretending not to notice her sister’s unspoken meaning, and just kept drinking tea.

“If brother won’t say, I won’t ask. But please, brother, do take care.”

Jiang Lan felt a pang for this thoughtful child, and patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. Here—take this.”

Jiang Si glanced at the stack of silver notes in her hand and, with a single look, understood.