Chapter Nineteen: The Immortal Brother

Su Yunyun couldn't help but wonder if her innocent cousin, Little Tao, had been possessed. Oh, Little Tao! Pay attention to your image! Be ladylike! Do you understand the meaning of being a lady?

Suddenly, the door was flung open and a group of masked assassins burst in. Little Tao hurriedly retreated several steps until she was beside Liu Ling’er, her eyes wide as she stared at the intruders. Having witnessed the pitiful fate of the previous assassin, Little Tao was far less timid than before.

Liu Ling’er tensed. There were quite a few assassins this time, and her silver needles were limited. If they all charged at once, she could escape safely herself, but Little Tao would be in real danger.

Fortunately, as the assassins rushed in, the prince’s guards swiftly closed in. These were no mere idlers; the assassins shot Liu Ling’er a venomous glare, then hastily called to one another to help their companion, who had been so thoroughly bullied by Liu Ling’er and Little Tao, and made a sudden break for the exit.

Intense fighting immediately erupted outside, and Liu Ling’er finally breathed a sigh of relief. That had been far too close. Soon after, the anguished screams of dying assassins echoed through the prince’s residence—those poor, unlucky souls.

But Liu Ling’er had no time to spare for those foolish assassins. She was more concerned with the man who had just entered: dressed in brilliant red, masked—a man more accurately known as His Grace, Xian Wang Baili Xian, infamous for his ruined face.

An aura of bold dominance radiated from Xian Wang. It was only natural; if the palace’s martial experts were to be ranked, he would easily be among the top three. A man like this could never go unnoticed wherever he went. Though his reputation was far from pristine, his strength spoke for itself—no one would dare provoke him to his face, for fear of being strangled before uttering a second word.

Baili Xian had not forgotten about the assassins who came in earlier. He wondered why the twenty-fifth day of the first lunar month would send such a novice to make a mess of things, but even a novice from that day’s group shouldn’t have been someone the good-for-nothing young lady from the General’s Manor could handle.

As for the maid at her side, perhaps she knew a few fancy moves, but to take on an assassin—that was a stretch. Besides, he had seen the silver needles embedded in the assassin’s comrade; whoever had thrown them had remarkable aim.

Shaking off his idle thoughts, Baili Xian turned to Little Tao and said, “This is no longer your concern. You may go now.”

That look he gave her nearly scared Little Tao out of her wits. Like a startled rabbit, she abandoned Liu Ling’er without a second thought and dashed away.

Liu Ling’er could only roll her eyes in exasperation. Baili Xian strode to the table, picked up a stick, and lifted the veil from Liu Ling’er’s head—just in time to catch her rolling her eyes. He chuckled, “What, am I so unwelcome?”

Liu Ling’er discreetly drew back the silver needle hidden in her sleeve. She had been bracing herself for this notorious prince to torment her the moment he arrived, but it seemed that was not his intention. Arching an eyebrow, she retorted, “Your Grace has seen my face, but I have yet to see yours. That feels a bit unfair, doesn’t it?”

Baili Xian was in a good mood today. “Oh? So you wish to see my face? No problem, but I fear you’ll become so enamored with my beauty that you’ll lose all restraint and do something utterly beastly.”

Liu Ling’er was utterly stunned. That this man could utter such shameless words without a trace of embarrassment—wasn’t he afraid of being struck by lightning? With all the rumors about his ruined face, and in an era without cosmetic surgery, how could he expect her to covet his looks, let alone behave so indecently? Was something wrong with his brain?

She had thought Baili Xian was merely jesting. To her surprise, he actually removed his mask. The first thing she saw was a roguish smile, and Liu Ling’er was instantly dumbfounded. Who on earth had started the rumor that Xian Wang’s features were all destroyed? How blind could they possibly be?

His skin was smooth and fair, his face sharp and coldly handsome. His brows were like swords, his eyes bright as stars, framed by long, slightly curled lashes. Those dark eyes were wild and untamed; that gaze alone was so wickedly alluring it sent shivers through Liu Ling’er’s heart.

And those seductive red lips—Liu Ling’er was seized by the urge to leap forward and take a bite, just to taste them. Heavens, what a calamity! This was no disfigured, pitiful Xian Wang—this was a god among men!

No wonder he wore a mask; even if others slandered his appearance, he never took it off. With such a bewitching face, he was a veritable killer of maidens’ hearts, the downfall of young wives, the undoing of older women—utterly irresistible!