Chapter 8: Mercy?

The young girl’s legs suddenly went weak, and she instinctively took a step back, letting out a soft whimper.

The man before her clearly heard it. He turned his head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at her. His tall figure slowly pivoted, his expression calm and aloof as he looked down on her from above, showing no intention of speaking.

Yan Xi knew he already recognized her, and her mind went blank. After a long moment, she finally whispered, barely audible:

“Young master…”

But he remained silent.

Yan Xi continued, her voice soft and cautious, the sweetness of it now tinged with shock and fear, almost unable to form words:

“My… what happened to that batch of goods? And… where is Ah Tai?”

The man gave no answer, but the subordinate beside him moved.

The man’s surname was Ning, his given name Wu. He handed over two paper-wrapped parcels.

Yan Xi’s eyes fixed tightly on them as she quickly took them, her slender pale hands trembling as she hurriedly unwrapped them.

The more she unraveled, the greater her alarm grew; the more alarmed, the colder she felt. By the time she finished opening them completely, her whole body was shaking like a leaf, as if plunged into an icy abyss.

The maid beside her, Qing Lian, was equally shocked: “Miss!”

In the trembling hands of Yan Xi lay unmistakable red powder.

Though it was her first time seeing it, its form and color were unmistakable.

Despite her youth and innocence of the world, she came from a noble family and was well-educated; it was impossible for her not to know what this was.

It was Yaohuan Powder—an illicit substance from the black market, highly addictive, sought after even by the wealthy, devastating countless lives, and the most forbidden item in the Great Yong Empire.

According to the current laws, traffickers faced at least ten years in prison, and in severe cases, death.

Ning Wu spoke:

“Miss Shen, this was found during the routine inspection of the batch of goods your servant was dragging out yesterday. I believe you know what this is. What exactly is going on here?”

Yan Xi certainly knew what it was.

Her panic deepened; her voice choked with emotion, growing even softer and more delicate:

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I can guarantee we didn’t… we absolutely did not traffic or harbor such things. That batch was only white powders, really just white powders.”

Ning Wu said, “Miss Shen may not know, but can you guarantee no one else knows? After all, this stuff…”

He trailed off, but the implication was clear.

Everyone knew this poisonous substance was highly profitable.

Yan Xi was desperate and quickly said:

“I can guarantee it, Ah Tai, Ah Tai would never do such a thing!”

Ning Wu replied, “But the culprit was caught red-handed, the evidence is conclusive. This may truly have little to do with Miss Shen, but people’s hearts are unfathomable. As for your servant, that’s harder to say.”

Yan Xi’s face grew paler and paler. Realizing it was useless to argue further with the guard, she finally turned her gaze toward Lu Zhi.

She knew the evidence was irrefutable, but they were innocent. Even if there were ten, eighty, or even a hundred or a thousand pieces of evidence against them, as long as Lu Zhi said it wasn’t true, it wasn’t.

With that thought, she even took a tentative step forward. Her eyes were clear and pure as a fawn’s, her voice barely above a whisper as she pleaded with Lu Zhi:

“Brother, please have mercy and release Ah Tai, okay? We didn’t, we really didn’t traffic such things.”

“Brother, brother… I beg you…”

When she finished, her gentle voice trembled noticeably, filled with sincerity and entreaty. The way she said “Brother” was intimate and clearly meant to curry favor.

Yet after a long silence, he still said nothing, only gazing down at her coldly, his attitude indifferent.

The room fell into a heavy stillness, their eyes locked.

Just as Yan Xi felt her legs weaken and about to give out, the man finally reacted.

He slowly raised his hand, dismissing everyone else from the room.

Ning Wu bowed and left.

Qing Lian, worried for her mistress, hesitated but had no choice but to obey Lu Zhi’s orders.

In an instant, the door closed softly, and the two were left alone.

The air in the room grew colder than ice and snow.

Yan Xi felt as if her feet were buried deep in that frozen snow, rooted to the spot, unable to move.

Then she saw the man slowly approaching.

Their sizes and heights were vastly different. As he drew nearer, her head tilted back higher and higher until they were just inches apart.

Yan Xi couldn’t stop trembling, watching helplessly as his large hand reached out and gripped her face.

“Brother…”

She couldn’t finish her words before the faint scent of musk on him wafted into her nostrils.

Familiar yet strange...

Her mind went blank instantly, and the dream she had just recalled flashed vividly before her.

Already afraid of him, compounded by his actions, she was utterly terrified, as if her soul had fled her body.

Then, his low, deep voice sounded in her ear:

“Do you think we’re that close?”

Tears welled in the young girl’s eyes as she shook her head hard.

“No… we’re not…”

Lu Zhi continued, “Then why should I help you?”

“Because… because…”

Yan Xi was forced to meet his gaze directly.

They were so close she could feel the heat radiating from him.

Her mind thundered incessantly; the images from the dream played before her eyes.

Her body alternated between cold and hot, barely managing to finish her words:

“Because… because I’m your sister! We… we’re supposed to be family now…”

“Oh.”

The man raised a brow slightly. “Good reason…”

Then a mocking smirk flickered at the corner of his lips.

“Miss Shen, unfortunately for you, I’m not so easy to deal with. So, what do you think should be done?”

Yan Xi’s breathing grew rapid and ragged, her voice choked with emotion, on the verge of tears.

She wanted to say she would beg Uncle Lu...

But now, both she and Ah Tai were under his control. She feared offending him and putting Ah Tai in danger. Besides, Uncle Lu was not even in Chang’an at the moment.

How could distant help quench immediate thirst?

A sharp pang in her nose suddenly choked her up.

She thought of the late Nurse Zhang, her wet nurse, and Ah Tai, her only son.

Before she died, Nurse Zhang had urged Ah Tai to always protect her.

Ah Tai had sworn a deadly oath at her bedside, vowing his life belonged to Miss Shen.

True friendship is revealed in hardship.

She was no longer the noble young lady she once was.

But they still treated her the same, or even better, like family.

She could not let Ah Tai suffer this injustice, nor could she abandon him.

“I don’t know… what do you want?”

With a soft sob, the young girl finally broke down in tears.

Lu Zhi released his grip on her face.

He knew exactly what he intended.

But for now, he said nothing.

The man straightened, lips moving slightly as he lowered his gaze:

“Tomorrow at noon, come to the Jingzhao Prefecture. I will tell you then.”