"Brother Chen, this is 34 taels of silver that the brothers pooled together to support your martial arts practice," Li Pao said somewhat awkwardly as he handed over the silver.

  "Alright, you can go now."

  After the others left, Chen Shi took out fifty taels and silently thought to himself, "System, recharge."

  [+50]

  [Current bance: 50.24 taels.]

  [Destiny Points: 0.]

  [Would you like to spend 200 money points to start the life simution?]

  "Hmm?? Why has the price gone up?"

  Chen Shi was stunned.

  In an instant, a line of virtual text appeared before his eyes again.

  [Note: The higher the host's realm, the greater the energy consumption, and the more money required for the simution.]

  Chen Shi: "......Alright."

  Chen Shi had originally pnned to continue the simution to see if he could interrogate the Beautiful Lady and find out who was behind everything. But now, that pn was ruined.

  He thought for a moment and decided to follow the trajectory from the simution, head to Seventh Madam's pce, and enter the Martial Practice Field.

  Currently, the enemy was in the shadows while he was in the open. If he didn't go to the Martial Practice Field, the other party would definitely find another way to frame him. By going there, although there was still a risk of being framed, at least it was a known and controlble risk.

  With his mind made up, Chen Shi found a clean set of clothes in the wardrobe, fetched a bucket of water from the well, and began to wash himself thoroughly. Having spent a long time at the stables, he needed to get rid of the horse manure smell to avoid ruining any good impressions... Uh, it seemed that his favorability with Lin Manqing was currently in the negatives.

  ***

  Leaving the stables, he twisted and turned along the bluestone path, passed through a corridor lined with green bamboo, and stepped through an archway to arrive at the gate leading to the Inner Court.

  However, he was stopped by a guard.

  Chen Shi was wondering how to get in when a pretty maid in a green silk dress came out. Her skin was smooth and fair, her features delicate and well-defined, and her voice was as crisp as a yellow warbler.

  "Oh, Brother Chen Shi, what brings you to the Inner Court?"

  Seeing this frail-looking girl, Chen Shi's face lit up with joy. He stepped forward and greeted her, "Sister Mo Xiang, I have something to report to Seventh Madam."

  Mo Xiang looked Chen Shi up and down, her face slightly flushed, thinking to herself, "It's been half a year, and Brother Chen Shi seems even more handsome than before..."

  She descended the steps and curiously asked, "What is it?"

  "It's been a while, Sister Mo Xiang, you've slimmed down quite a bit." Chen Shi stepped forward, gently taking the girl's cool, delicate hand, and examined her closely.

  Her slender waist was just a handful, her chest beginning to swell, and her budding figure was particurly alluring.

  With her oval face and big eyes, she was fwless from both near and far.

  Mo Xiang instinctively tried to pull her hand away but then held back, her face blushing as she softly called out, "Brother Chen Shi..."

  "Let's talk over here."

  Chen Shi led Mo Xiang to a corner of the wall, leaned in close, and whispered a few words, expining the situation with Song Chengye, including the matter of the silver.

  Feeling the warm breath by her ear, Mo Xiang shyly lowered her head and softly said, "If that's the case, then Brother Chen Shi, give me the Ninth Young Master's silver, and I'll hand it over to Madam for you."

  Chen Shi replied honestly, "The silver has already been spent."

  "What?" Mo Xiang raised her eyes, as clear as water, and said in surprise, "Then, what should we do?"

  Chen Shi gently held Mo Xiang's slender jade fingers, his gaze earnest, "Sister Mo Xiang, take me to see Seventh Madam. I'll expin everything to her in person. As for the silver, I'll gloss over it. In this way, given my merit in reporting, Seventh Madam might just reward me with the silver."

  "But..." Mo Xiang turned her head slightly, pursing her pink lips with a hint of unease, "This isn't according to the rules. If Madam finds out, Mo Xiang will also be punished..."

  "Sigh, you're right... I didn't think it through. I shouldn't have involved you."

  Chen Shi put on a look of forced loneliness, lowered his head, and said, "It's all my fault. I overestimated myself, wanting to practice martial arts without considering whether I have the talent for it. I forced myself to train, spent the money, and didn't achieve anything, leaving myself in a difficult position, utterly embarrassed. Perhaps... I'm just a waste, and I should have accepted my fate, content to feed horses at the stables for a lifetime, without harboring any inappropriate thoughts about you."

  "You're not a waste!" Mo Xiang was instantly triggered by her maternal instincts. She hugged Chen Shi, gently patting his back, her voice tender and soft as water, "I was born with a purpose. Brother Chen Shi, Mo Xiang will always help you..."

  Chen Shi was secretly surprised. Half a year had passed, and his sister Mo Xiang had quietly grown from a c~d... She was only sixteen, right?

  Breathing in the comforting fragrance, Chen Shi sighed softly, "No, if Seventh Madam bmes you for this, it would break my heart. You should report it truthfully. At most, I'll get whipped again for reporting the Ninth Young Master, lie down for a few days, and as long as the wound doesn't get infected, I won't die. You don't need to worry too much."

  Mo Xiang's cheeks turned even redder, her once clear and pleasant voice now tinged with a bit of shyness and sweetness, "For Brother Chen Shi, Mo Xiang... Mo Xiang is willing to be punished."

  "Sister Mo Xiang." Chen Shi embraced Mo Xiang's slender waist, moved, "Having you is truly my fortune."

  Mo Xiang's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, "I'm lucky too..."

  ***

  The two lingered for a while.

  Three minutes ter.

  From the hidden corner, Mo Xiang hurriedly ran out.

  Her watery eyes carried a hint of panic. She bit her slightly swollen red lips, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the turmoil in her heart.

  Chen Shi followed her out, smacking his lips.

  A faint feminine fragrance lingered in his nostrils.

  But he felt a bit of fear in his heart.

  The maids around Seventh Madam were all brought out from the Spirit Sword Sect. Even if things didn't work out, they would be married off to the young masters of the Song family as wives. If anyone saw what he had just done, he wouldn't die but would definitely suffer.

  When did he become so bold?

  In the past, in the Inner Court, he only dared to flirt secretly at night. Now, in broad daylight, he actually went straight for it... It must be because of practicing martial arts.

  His blood was too vigorous, his energy too abundant, hard to control.

  Martial arts have misled me!

  ***

  On the road, they walked in silence.

  No matter how Chen Shi tried to strike up a conversation, Mo Xiang ignored him, keeping her head down and leading the way. At one point, she almost walked into a tree.

  It was unclear whether she was embarrassed or angry.

  ***

  Along the cobblestone path through the forest, they walked for half an hour.

  Finally, they arrived at a courtyard.

  Standing on the stone steps in the middle courtyard, Chen Shi looked up and saw a gilded wooden pque hanging above the three main hall doors, inscribed with three powerful characters—Mountains and Rivers Residence.

  It was said that this was personally handwritten by the Great Wei Founding Emperor thousands of years ago.

  Due to its unique historical background, the owners of the Mountains and Rivers Residence throughout the generations were always the top prodigies of the Song family.

  The current owner of the Mountains and Rivers Residence was the deceased husband of Lin Manqing.

  Song family’s seventh son, Song Tianyuan.

  Song Tianyuan.

  At nineteen, he was a military prodigy. He rode a thousand miles, destroyed the royal court, slew great demons, and quelled a century of chaos in Liang Prefecture, earning numerous military achievements.

  Unfortunately, heaven is jealous of geniuses.

  This youngest Marquis of Great Wei, the youngest Innate Realm Expert, had his life forever frozen at nineteen.

  Rumor had it that the Heaven-Human Realm Demon Emperor of the Hundred-Thousand Great Mountains made a move. Despite tearing up the non-interference pact between Heaven and Human, and paying a heavy price, he was determined to eliminate this prodigy of the human race.