Chapter 15: Driven Mad by Her

The sky was azure, adorned with fluffy white clouds as light as cotton.

Ziling and Gu Yunfeng walked side by side, while Qian Qian trailed a few steps behind, her delicate face filled with confusion and naivety.

She pondered for a long while but couldn't understand why the girl asked if she needed to light a candle when she whipped someone. She was certain that Lord Hou had never said such a thing because it was completely unnecessary.

In broad daylight, there was definitely no need for a candle. And even at night, if they weren't whipping the young master, why would they need a candle?

Ziling touched her cheek, trying to suppress the twitching of her mouth. She had always thought that Lord Dongling had an unusually peculiar way of thinking, but her mother, Lady Tang, was no less extraordinary.

Just moments ago, after finishing the topic of whipping, she casually asked Qian Qian, "Does my father have any other messages for you to convey?"

Qian Qian shook her head like a tambourine. "Lord Hou didn't say anything else. However, Madam mentioned that your whip accuracy is lacking, and you should practice more when you have free time."

At that moment, Ziling was dumbfounded. "Didn't you say that my mother forbids me from practicing martial arts?"

Qian Qian nodded. "Yes, that's right. Madam has always prohibited Miss from practicing martial arts. As a result, Miss couldn't become an exceptional master. I've often complained to Madam that she was holding you back. That's how I explained it to Madam. She said that in the past, she didn't allow you to learn martial arts because she believed that a young girl shouldn't handle knives and staves, fearing that you wouldn't be able to find a suitable marriage. But now that you're married, it's a different matter."

Different... matter...

These four words lingered in Ziling's mind. She couldn't help but feel some sympathy for Gu Yunfeng. She looked at him and asked, "Can you handle a whip?"

"Are you planning to have me teach you?" Gu Yunfeng's gaze carried a hint of complexity.

"Yeah."

"And once I teach you, you'll use it on me?"

"..."

Heavens above, she didn't have such intentions at all. She only thought that Ziling would hold a grudge after whipping Princess Changning, so as a non-genuine daughter of Lord Dongling, she wouldn't know how to handle a whip. If someone were to challenge her, wouldn't she just end up being beaten?

Moreover, the Emperor had bestowed a whip upon her as a reward, and it would be a great pity to let it gather dust.

However, Qian Qian's words had come too soon. If she denied it now, Gu Yunfeng probably wouldn't believe her either. So Ziling gazed at Gu Yunfeng, looking at him several times. Furrowing his brow, Gu Yunfeng asked, "What are you staring at?"

Ziling said earnestly, "I plan to go back and give it a try. I want to see how bad my aim is. As long as I don't end up hitting your back and accidentally hit your head or hurt your face instead of aiming for your chest, I won't practice anymore. It's not a good idea to play with knives and guns, indeed."

Gu Yunfeng gritted his teeth and asked, "Are you threatening me?"

Ziling chuckled lightly and patted his chest, saying, "I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart. If I wanted to threaten you, I wouldn't need a whip. Instead, I would poison you, like what happened last night when you were unconscious. I would be the butcher, and you would be the fish. I wouldn't even need a whip. I could make you jump around with a stick..."

Seeing Gu Yunfeng's smile freeze on his face and the veins on his forehead pulsating, Ziling silently changed her tone and said, "Sorry, I forgot you're still feeling dizzy and unable to jump."

Gu Yunfeng really wished he could strangle the woman in front of him, to prevent himself from being driven crazy by her someday.

When Ziling patted Gu Yunfeng's chest, he grabbed her hand. She tried to pull it back forcefully, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't free herself.

To the passing maidservants, it appeared as if their young master was holding the hand of a female bandit and unwilling to let go. He turned his face away fiercely, as if afraid that one more glance would make his eyes turn bloodshot.

Little did they know, the two of them were emitting a strong gunpowder scent. Gu Yunfeng asked, "Say it again. Who is the butcher? Who is the fish?"

What a slap in the face.

Just as she finished speaking, her hand was immobilized by his grip. It was obvious that she was slightly weaker, but she surrendered just like that. It was too embarrassing. Though defeated, Ziling's eyes darted around as she blushed and said, "Darling, please let go quickly. You're rubbing my hand raw."

The fluctuating tone made everyone's skin crawl.

Gu Yunfeng "..."

A passing maid quickly shot him a look that said, "Have you never seen a woman in eight lifetimes?"

She's tough as nails, yet you won't let go!

Have some dignity and never bother with her again!

Ziling stifled her laughter, leaving Gu Yunfeng exasperated and weak. He held onto Ziling and walked towards the Chenshuang Pavilion.

Behind them, the maidservant followed with a pained expression in her eyes, thinking, "The young master is truly beyond redemption!"

As Ziling was being pulled back to Chenshuang Pavilion by Gu Yunfeng, the steward of the front yard caught up to them and said, "Young Master, Young Madam, the managers of those shops are still waiting to receive payment."

Gu Yunfeng released Ziling's hand and let the steward accompany him to the study.

Rubbing her sore hand from Gu Yunfeng's grip, Ziling asked Qianqian, "Is Qingyun Mountain very poor?"

Qianqian shook her head, "Not poor at all. A few months ago, I saw someone carrying two large boxes of gold into the mountain stronghold. I don't know whose loot it was."

"Then why borrow a bunch of money?" Ziling guessed that they wouldn't be poor, otherwise, the court wouldn't be able to suppress bandits every year.

Qianqian said, "When the Marquis and his wife went to the capital, they took a thousand taels of silver with them. They said the capital's dignitaries are swimming in wealth, so they can easily scrape some off, which would be enough for our Feihu Stronghold for a year or two. Carrying too much would be burdensome. It's just that you got married too quickly, and the Marquis hasn't found a target to rob yet. He doesn't have any money on hand, so he had to borrow first."

Ziling remained silent.

It turned out borrowing money was already their best option.

This is the capital, under the Emperor's feet, not Feihu Stronghold. Those court ministers, which one would be easy to rob? If they fail to get the money but end up in trouble themselves, it wouldn't be worth it.

With such a troublesome father, Ziling had a headache. She had to find a way to make money.

Before making money, she had to figure out a way to borrow money. It seemed like she just offended someone...

Ziling walked towards the study and happened to run into the steward coming out, holding a bundle of silver notes.

She stood outside the study for a while and instructed Qianqian, "Go and fetch the whip bestowed to me by the Emperor."

Qianqian nodded, and Ziling urged, "Hurry."

Qianqian didn't delay and quickly returned to the inner room.

When she saw Qianqian approaching, Ziling pushed open the door and walked in. She went to the desk, while Qianqian stood far away and hesitated to come closer. Ziling urged, "What are you standing there for? Bring me the whip."

Qianqian regretted her earlier words; she had spoken too early. She walked over and said, "Young Master has just helped Young Lady repay the debt owed to the Marquis's residence. He is also weak, and he hasn't offended Young Lady. Let's not be too harsh. We can discuss it another day."

Gu Yunfeng furrowed his brows, not knowing what game this master-servant pair was playing.

Ziling rolled her eyes. Was she such an heartless person? She went straight to take the whip, but Qianqian, surprisingly strong, managed to snatch it away from her.

Annoyed, Ziling said, "Let go."

With a glare, Qianqian loosened her grip. She looked sympathetically at Gu Yunfeng.

Ziling took the whip, took a deep breath, and placed it directly on the desk in front of Gu Yunfeng.

She hadn't spoken yet.

Silently, Qianqian took out two candles from her pocket and placed them beside the whip.

Ziling remained silent.