Jiang Ning had no idea she’d become the target of resentment.
She didn’t know that her casual act of saving Jin Jingxiu would shift something in him—and cause Jiang Mengyue no end of trouble.
She was swinging a whip in the courtyard at that moment.
The whip Jin Jingxiu had gifted her felt just right in her hand. She liked it better than a dagger—whipping suited her more.
Jiang Ning couldn’t put it down, but she had already promised Shuang Yue she would give her a whip that suited her.
She played with it for a while, then put it away and called Shuang Yue over.
“Miss, do you have any instructions?” Shuang Yue asked as she hurried over.
Jiang Ning gave the whip to Shuang Yue. “It’s for you.”
“This is…” Shuang Yue took the whip, her eyes lighting up with surprise.
Miss had promised to give her a good whip—she hadn’t expected her to actually do it.
This must be the one Young Master Jin gave her.
Jiang Ning’s gaze still lingered on the whip.
She found it easy to use too, but compared to her, it would be more useful in Shuang Yue’s hands.
Shuang Yue caught her mistress’s gaze, lowered her head, and quietly masked the flicker of thought in her eyes.
At night.
Jiang Ning stayed up late into the night, flipping through medical texts. Maps were scattered across the table—maps of He Province.
At this time, a rustling sound suddenly came, which seemed to come from the window.
Jiang Ning heard the noise and walked to the window. She held the silver needle in one hand and pushed open the window with the other hand. If there was any abnormality, she could deal with it immediately.
As soon as she opened the window, a dark figure lunged at her.
Startled, Jiang Ning was about to strike with her silver needle.
Suddenly, she felt a weight on her shoulder—the shadow had landed there.
Whoosh—the shadow flapped its wings.
“Xiao Hei?” Jiang Ning stopped her hand just in time. It wasn’t a person—it was a black eagle.
The black eagle quieted down and rubbed its head against Jiang Ning’s neck, seemingly happy she still remembered it.
“Xiao Hei, why are you here?”
Jiang Ning picked up the black eagle, set it on the table, and examined it carefully under the oil lamp. It was indeed the one raised by Chu Yunli.
The marquis’s manor was quite far from Chu Yunli’s private residence. Besides, how did the black eagle know where she was? And fly in with such precision?
The black eagle flapped its wings twice.
Jiang Ning saw something tied to the black eagle’s leg.
She took it off and looked—it was a thin, rolled-up slip of paper.
“Are you here to deliver a message?”
The black eagle lifted its head and puffed out its chest, clearly asking for praise.
Jiang Ning stroked its head. “It’s a bit late today. I can’t have someone prepare food for you. I’ll treat you to meat strips next time.”
The black eagle’s eyes gleamed dark and bright. It seemed to understand—and flapped its wings twice in delight.
Jiang Ning unrolled the slip of paper. After reading its contents, she looked a little surprised.
She barely hesitated, pushed open the door, and walked out.
Using qinggong, she vaulted over the wall and landed in the secluded alley beside the back gate.
A carriage was parked in the alley.
Yuan Feng saw Jiang Ning and immediately said, “Miss Jiang, please come inside.”
Jiang Ning lifted the carriage curtain with some suspicion. Seeing Chu Yunli inside, she darted in and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Why did you call me out in the middle of the night?”
The note said to come to the alley by the back gate.
She instinctively thought Chu Yunli must be injured. Otherwise, why would he send the black eagle to call her out in the middle of the night?
There was no scent of blood in the carriage.
Jiang Ning looked him up and down. Chu Yunli’s complexion was rosy—he didn’t look injured at all.
Chu Yunli gave a light cough, then took out a long wooden box from beside him and handed it to her.
“It’s for you.”
“What is this?” Jiang Ning took the long wooden box. He called her out—just to give her something?
She opened the lid of the wooden box. Inside lay a finely crafted whip.
The whip was made of fine, lightweight material, slightly slender—clearly designed for a woman. Its grip was wrapped in reddish-brown leather, bright and vivid.
Jiang Ning lifted her face. “This is for me?”
Chu Yunli gave a soft grunt, avoided her gaze, and said awkwardly, “Use this. Stop thinking about another man’s things.”
After speaking, his face clearly flushed a few shades redder.
Jiang Ning remained expressionless as she drew out the whip and gave it a couple of testing swings. It was clearly superior to Jin Jingxiu’s—lighter, better balanced, and a perfect fit for her grip.
When she opened the wooden box and saw the whip, most of her attention was already on it.
She didn’t catch what Yunli said at all.
She vaguely heard something like “Don’t think about other people’s things”…
She couldn’t help but mutter, “I wasn’t thinking about it.”
“Thanks. I’ll put it to good use.”
Jiang Ning accepted the gift without fuss. She’d been meaning to get a whip—had even considered the black market. And now, by coincidence, Chu Yunli had given her one.
“Master Chu, is there anything else?”
When she called him by the formal title again, Chu Yunli felt a flicker of discomfort. He’d finally gained her trust, and now it felt like they were back to square one. He said quietly, “You can call me Chu Yunli again. Or just Yunli.”
Jiang Ning was startled for a moment. She had hesitated.
She’d only called him by his full name because things were urgent at the time.
After calming down, she remembered that Chu Yunli was to become the regent. Calling him by name didn’t seem appropriate.
But now… he doesn’t seem too happy about it?
Jiang Ning looked at him. “Then from now on… I’ll call you Yunli?” Her voice was soft, a little tentative.
Chu Yunli’s heart trembled slightly when he heard it. He gave a stiff nod.
“Yunli,” Jiang Ning called out.
Chu Yunli tried to keep his expression calm and gave a soft “mm.” But inside, waves stirred. Beneath his sleeve, his fist clenched as he fought to restrain himself.
“Yunli. That’s a beautiful name.”
Jiang Ning gave a small smile. She hadn’t even noticed it herself, but calling Chu Yunli by name had put her in a remarkably good mood.
“Then I’ll head back now.”
Jiang Ning stepped down from the carriage and walked away.
Chu Yunli sat alone in the carriage, his emotions unable to settle for a long time. From then on, every time they meet, she will call him Yunli.
He couldn’t help but smile.
Yuan Feng had just been about to ask whether the lord wanted to head back. He lifted the curtain—only to find the lord sitting there, grinning like an idiot.
Their eyes met.
Chu Yunli’s expression instantly turned serious.
Yuan Feng: “…”
Does the lord really treat him and Miss Jiang that differently?
He seemed to have taken a critical hit—wounded.
“Why are you still standing there? Get going,” Chu Yunli said.
“Yes,” Yuan Feng answered, sounding a little hurt. He let the curtain fall and climbed back into position to drive.
Jiang Ning returned to her room. Under the oil lamp, she carefully examined the whip, gently wiped it with a cloth, and couldn’t bear to put it down.
Chu Yunli came all the way over in the middle of the night—just to give her something.
At that moment, she suddenly recalled Chu Yunli’s cold, clear voice.
Use this. Don’t think about things that belong to other men.
Don’t think about another man’s things…
That sentence…
Once Jiang Ning understood it, her face flushed and her heart trembled.
Was it what she thought it was?
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Midnight Grievance
Yuan Feng, driving the carriage, muttering to himself.
Yuan Feng:
He smiled.
He smiled.
At her.
Meanwhile, I get “Go back.”
Go back, like I’m a stray dog.
Suddenly, the carriage curtain lifts again. Chu Yunli peers out.
Chu Yunli (coolly):
“You’re muttering.”
Yuan Feng (startled):
“N-no, sir. Just… reciting horse commands.”
Chu Yunli:
“Your horse commands sound suspiciously like a grievance.”
Yuan Feng (deadpan):
“Only because the horse also feels underappreciated.”
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