Chapter 5: The Provocation Strategy

Awakening from her deep slumber, Ziling rubbed her throbbing head. As she turned, she found Gu Yunfeng staring intently at her, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt.

Even someone as foolish as Ziling could tell who had caused her head to bang. In a mix of anger and astonishment, she wondered, How did he wake up ahead of me?

Waking up was one thing, but he was glaring at her with eyes that seemed to wish her dead.

And still staring!

Ziling widened her eyes and said, "You didn't knock me dead, so you want to finish the job now?!"

His gaze turned icy, and just as Ziling noticed a dangerous glimmer in his eyes, he grabbed her by the neck, causing her excruciating pain. It felt as if she were courting death.

Her breath was slowly being taken away, and her once fair face turned purple.

Ziling struggled and mustered her strength to slap his hand with all her might. "Let go... quickly..."

Her voice was cut off as he tightened his grip.

The handsome man's brows furrowed slightly. Though the back of his hand was being slapped, it didn't hurt much, but it wasn't entirely devoid of feeling, unlike in a dream.

He released his grip, but his brows furrowed even tighter.

Dreaming about her was abnormal enough, let alone the reality of it.

As her breathing eased, Ziling greedily gasped for air, but in her haste, she triggered a coughing fit. If he had used a little more force, she would have met her demise.

Gu Yunfeng withdrew his gaze from Ziling and swept his eyes across the room once again. His gaze lingered briefly on the crimson bridal candles and the phoenix crown resting on the dressing table. A thought flashed through his mind, causing his heart to sink into an icy abyss.

Suppressing his anger, he abruptly turned to face Ziling, only to find her huddled with the blanket, her expression wary, as fragile as a wounded deer in the forest.

He truly had gone mad!

He had actually perceived vulnerability and innocence on the face of a female bandit who dared to rob a man in broad daylight!

It must be his illusion. Gu Yunfeng's face turned cold as he asked the question he was eager to confirm, "Why were you in my room?"

Sure enough, he didn't know anything yet. Ziling knew she couldn't blame him for that, but she was so innocent. It wasn't her doing, yet she had to bear the infamy and almost got strangled.

Still trembling from the fright, her spine cold, Ziling couldn't be expected to have a good temper. She gritted her teeth and said, "You collapsed and were carried back in front of the Duke Dongling's mansion. The Duke of Zhengguo saw that you were unconscious and requested the emperor's permission for a marriage. As you can see, I'm married!"

Her tone rose abruptly, and the repressed anger in her eyes made it clear to Gu Yunfeng that the woman in front of him was not willing to marry him.

Of course, snatching him in public didn't mean she wanted to marry a dying man for the sake of a wedding celebration and sacrifice her entire life.

Looking at Ziling, Gu Yunfeng asked, "Who undressed me?"

He wanted to ask who stripped him naked and put him on the bed of a female bandit, but as soon as he asked, he felt like he asked the wrong person. She probably didn't know.

Ziling was straightforward. "I did."

She couldn't deny it since the matter was directly attributed to her. Moreover, she was frank and had nothing to hide.

Gu Yunfeng's face darkened, and Ziling, afraid that he would strangle her again, hurriedly said, "I undressed you to save you! I didn't do anything excessive to you!"

These words naturally came out of Ziling's mouth. Before Gu Yunfeng could speak, she weakly rolled her eyes. Given that she snatched him in broad daylight and now his clothes were off, no matter what she said, who would believe her?

Ziling hugged the blanket and looked at Gu Yunfeng, saying, "I was wrong to snatch you on the street that day, but I did it to save you. You know my father wanted to choose a husband for me, but no one was willing to marry me. I saw that you were handsome but poisoned, destined not to live long. It's such a pity, so I thought of helping you detoxify and in return, we both get what we need."

Ziling spoke nonsense with her eyes wide open, as if it were true.

Seeing Gu Yunfeng frown, seemingly believing her to some extent, she added, "But I didn't expect you to be so ruthless, actually turning against me and causing me to fall in front of the Marquis's mansion!"

Gu Yunfeng glanced at Ziling and stood up, taking a piece of clothing before walking out.

He didn't say anything, neither confirming nor denying.

It seems that her fall is somehow connected to him and cannot be shaken off.

That night, while bathing, she discovered a bruise on her ankle, as if it had been hit by something. She began to doubt that her fall was as simple as Qianqian described, that she tripped over a doorstep due to the excitement of stealing a handsome man.

The door creaked open and quickly closed again. Ziling didn't know if he would come back. After the recent commotion, her drowsiness disappeared.

Outside the house, Gu Yunfeng walked out, and soon after, a dark figure appeared in front of the door.

"Did she speak the truth?" Gu Yunfeng asked.

The dark figure replied, "The imperial physician declared that the master wouldn't survive tonight. It was the Second Young Lady who administered the needle that woke the master up."

Because the imperial physician predicted that Gu Yunfeng wouldn't survive the night, that's why the Duke of Dongling insisted on postponing the wedding, but the Marquis Mansion was unwilling. When a person dies, all engagements are abandoned.

Ziling administered the needle to Gu Yunfeng, and the secret guards knew about it, but they didn't intervene. With his life hanging by a thread, how much worse could it get by causing further trouble? Sometimes, desperate measures are taken.

However, he didn't expect that a female bandit could actually save the Second Young Master. The Duke once said that the Qingyun Mountain's Flying Tiger Village harbored hidden talents, and it seemed that his words were not unfounded.

There were also Ziling's recent words. The secret guard apologized, "I didn't know that the Second Young Lady was stealing the master to save him. I injured her when I intervened and almost cost the master his life."

Inside the room, Ziling sat there holding the blanket, lost in thought.

Will he come back or not? If he doesn't come back, she'll have the whole bed to herself.

Just as she was about to lie down, the door creaked open, and Gu Yunfeng, who had just left, returned. He went straight to the bed and lay down where he had slept before, closing his eyes.

His smooth and natural movements left Ziling dumbfounded. It was as if he hadn't seen her, a living person, here. Unable to resist, she pushed him.

"I promised," he said.

Out of the blue, Ziling was puzzled. "What did you promise?"

"We each take what we need," he replied.

Ziling's mouth twitched forcefully. Who asked you to take what you need? I was just saying it to appease you and reduce your hostility towards me. How could you take it seriously!

But she was the one who said it, so she couldn't backpedal. She had to find another way.

Seeing Gu Yunfeng lying there, Ziling hugged the blanket and intentionally provoked him, saying, "So, you plan to lie here and let me do as I please?"

Flames flickered in Gu Yunfeng's eyes, radiating colorful light.

He had never encountered such an shameless woman!

To dare utter the words "do whatever you want," he restrained the urge to throttle her and said, "If not here, then where do you expect me to sleep?"

Ziling fell silent for a moment and replied, "You can sleep anywhere, but if you sleep on the bed, I won't feel safe."

Gu Yunfeng chuckled, "Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"

Ziling's face turned hot, feeling the impulse to kick him.

Had she completely lost her shame and modesty when she confronted him in public like this?

Putting down the quilt, Ziling looked at him and said, "Let me be frank with you. I've set my eyes on a more handsome man. I don't intend for us to use each other. I can help you detoxify, and all I need in return is a resignation letter. We can part ways amicably and find our own happiness."

As a fickle-minded woman who couldn't make up her mind, like a flirtatious wife who didn't care about her reputation, she urged him to divorce her without hesitation. She urged him to swiftly throw her a resignation letter and let her find a cool place to stay.

Ziling belittled herself, feeling as if the resignation letter was beckoning to her.

Gu Yunfeng's face turned slightly bruised, and he squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth, "Your provocations won't work on me."

Ziling gritted her teeth, "Who's provoking you? I'm speaking sincerely."

With his eyes closed, Gu Yunfeng smiled faintly, "These days, the Iron Guards have surrounded the Duke of Dongling's residence, leaving no way in or out. Apart from the servants of the Duke of Dongling, the only person who has entered is the royal envoy. Could it be that you have set your sights on him?"