The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 211: Revenge

Chapter 211: Revenge

Ye Siheng couldn’t help but smile at the faint fragrance emanating from her body. He gently stroked Nanli’s back and sighed softly, "You’ve lost some weight." It seemed that she had been busy and exhausted lately.

"You too," Nanli replied as she held him, feeling it the most. He had always looked slim in clothes but had some flesh when undressed. Now, however, he seemed to have lost weight.

"It’s fine. Once things settle down, I’ll regain it," Ye Siheng said. "Fortunately, with your reminder and the combined efforts of all departments, there weren’t many casualties among the people."

"Was the Elder of the Court still sharp-tongued?" Nanli asked, pouting slightly. Ye Siheng laughed, "No, he was actually quite embarrassed and hesitant when speaking to me."

Nanli wasn’t bothered. Many practitioners of Taoism were frauds, and even if they weren’t, it was difficult to be precise with divination, so it was understandable that others would be skeptical. Nanli rubbed against his chest and asked, "Now that the water has receded, do we need to busy ourselves with rebuilding the slums?"

"Yes, the Ministry of Public Works has already drawn up plans," Ye Siheng replied. He and the other six departments had been busy. However, despite the government’s intentions to rebuild the slums, using funds from the Ministry of Revenue would strain the treasury.

Nanli sensed the sorrow and resentment in his words. She got out of bed, put on her shoes, formed a seal with her hands, and conjured a flame. She lit a candle, illuminating the room. Ye Siheng was puzzled, but he saw Nanli take out a box from the cabinet and quickly return to him. She opened it to reveal stacks of silver bills of various denominations.

"I’ve counted it. There’s sixty thousand taels here. Take it and use it," Nanli said. Ye Siheng’s face darkened, "This is all the money you earned from catching ghosts and demons. How can I use yours?" He knew Nanli had saved up quite a bit of money, and she had already used a lot to settle the disaster victims. This was her last bit of money.

"I promised the victims that I would help them rebuild their homes. Are you trying to make me break my promise?" Nanli blinked. "Money is meant to be spent after it’s earned. Don’t worry, I have the ability to earn it back."

Ye Siheng knew she was capable, and he had never restricted her. However, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to raise funds to rebuild houses by leading fundraising efforts.

As the night grew late, Nanli saw the deep bruises under his eyes by the candlelight. She didn’t continue discussing the matter with him. She ordered water to be brought in for him to wash his face and hands. Ye Siheng changed into clean pajamas and lay down with her. He was extremely tired, but with her in his arms, he quickly fell asleep.

Nanli, too, fell asleep without any defenses, entering the realm of dreams. She rarely dreamt, but tonight, she found herself immersed in it. It wasn’t a pleasant dream. First, she dreamt of her family being executed, their heads hanging on the city walls, making her shiver with cold.

Then, she saw Ye Siheng being given a cup of poisoned wine. Despite her shouts, Ye Siheng silently drank the poison, causing her immense heartache and breathlessness, as if she had fallen into deeper darkness and couldn’t wake up.

No, this was just a dream!

She had to wake up!

Despite her firm resolve, Nanli struggled to open her eyes. There seemed to be something strange about her body.

Nanli couldn’t understand why, but she kept silently reciting the Daoist Heart-Cleansing Mantra in her heart. Gradually, the feeling of suffocation lessened, and she finally managed to open her eyes.

She struggled to prop herself up, feeling as if her body was weighed down by a thousand-pound rock, every movement requiring all her strength. Ye Siheng seemed to be immersed in a nightmare too, his brows furrowed tightly. He couldn’t wake up either, muttering the word "no" repeatedly.

Nanli immediately understood that they had both fallen under a spell!

At that moment, someone kicked open the door. With torches in hand, the room was instantly as bright as day. Despite the Wang family having numerous guards, and the Liuli Pavilion having covert guards, these intruders managed to enter, indicating that both the regular guards and covert guards were affected by the spell, lost in sleep and unable to awaken.

Nanli clenched her teeth and glanced up, slightly stunned. The leader of the group was Xuanyuan Cang. Dressed in luxurious robes, his once handsome appearance now seemed somewhat weary, with a hint of indescribable desolation.

He seemed surprised. "You’ve actually woken up. You’re indeed formidable."

"What have you done?" Nanli asked, panting for breath.

Seeing her condition, Xuanyuan Cang smirked coldly, "It seems you’ve only managed to force yourself awake and haven’t expelled the Gu bug."

"What Gu bug? It’s so powerful that even I..." Nanli propped herself up with her hands, refusing to collapse.

Even this simple movement left her exhausted. Sweat dripped from her forehead, trickling down her temples.

"We of the Border Nation excel in the art of witchcraft. To you, Nanli of Chu, it may be a trivial skill, but we also have a Gu bug called the Dream-Making Enchanting Bug. While it only weaves nightmares and poses no real harm, it’s perfect for dealing with you and Ye Siheng," Xuanyuan Cang said, his eyes filled with hatred.

The Dream-Making Enchanting Bug reproduces rapidly and can infect others. Because it doesn’t cause any harm, it’s difficult for people to detect. Xuanyuan Cang’s agents had introduced this bug into the Prince Yu Mansion, allowing it to spread. He then controlled the bug, causing those infected to fall into a deep sleep, thus allowing him to enter the mansion unhindered.

Even if Nanli woke up now, it wouldn’t matter. The Dream-Making Enchanting Bug was extremely potent, and her body would be weak if she forced herself awake. She likely didn’t even have the energy to draw talismans. How could she stop him?

Nanli had never heard of such a bug before, explaining why she had been affected.

Xuanyuan Cang drew his long sword, which gleamed with a sinister light in the candlelight. He said coldly, "You caused harm to my aunt, resulting in our separation between life and death. Tonight, I will make you pay with your blood, trapping your soul and tormenting you for eternity!"

This sword was tainted with malevolent energy. If one were killed by this sword, their soul would be forever trapped in the mortal realm, unable to enter the underworld to be reincarnated. Nanli hadn’t expected the Border Nation royal family to possess such a treasure.

"If I’m going to die, I want to die with clarity," Nanli squinted, "Who gave you this sword that shattered the Spirit Pearl? Who is she?"

However, Xuanyuan Cang’s memory had been erased. He only remembered being saved by a powerful figure, forgetting everything else.

He wanted Nanli to die in confusion, but he truly didn’t know anything.

"Why waste words?" Xuanyuan Cang snorted. "I’ll kill Ye Siheng first, so you can taste the agony of losing your beloved!"

He swiftly moved forward, the long sword already stabbing towards Ye Siheng on the bed!