ion: "Ning Zhiyuan alone is not to be feared, but he has been lurking for many years, and there are some people behind him. We still don't know the ins and outs of this matter. So we can't startle the...Qian Yi'an probably didn't expect to be so excited. Looking at her right in front of him, a blush immediately appeared on his pale, somewhat malnourished face, and his two hands unconsciously gripped the edge of his clothes nervously.

Xiao Yu Ge only then realized how inappropriate her previous actions had been. She awkwardly rubbed her hair: "I'm sorry, did I scare you"

"No, no, not at all..." Qian Yi An shook his head frantically. No one had ever protected him like this before. A warmth, unfamiliar and new, bloomed in his heart.

"Alright, let's not dwell on that. Take me to see your paintings," Xiao Yuge patted her own head, this impulsive habit really needed to be changed.

"I..." But at this time, Qian Yi'an seemed a little reserved, blocking the entrance of the studio as if he wasn't so willing to let her in.

"What's wrong Is there a secret in here that I'm not allowed to see" Xiao Yuge's curiosity piqued. He wouldn't let her in, and she was even more determined to take a peek. The last time she went in with Xiao Yu Fu, they found lots of beautiful paintings inside. She thought just looking at them would be a delight.

"No, it's just..." Qian Yi'an's face suddenly blushed for some unknown reason.

Beside her, Lianxin smiled faintly and said, "Your Highness, when Miss Xiao wasn't here, you mentioned her every day. Now that Miss Xiao is here, why..."

"So, are all these things related to me" Xiao Yuge walked towards the door while speaking, hesitated for a moment, then gently pushed it open. However, the scene that came into view made her widen her eyes in astonishment.

As it turned out, all the people in those paintings throughout the studio were her—or rather, every different expression of her. She herself couldn't remember having so many sides to her, but she never imagined that he had captured them all in his paintings.

"All of these paintings are actually me" This surprised Xiao Yu tremendously.

Beside her, Lian Xin straightened one unfinished painting: "Your Highness said that Miss Xiao was a fairy from the heavens. No matter how she painted, she couldn't capture the girl's charm. So she kept painting over and over again, even if her hands were numb, she wouldn't stop."

“Your Highness, thank you!” Xiao Yuge laughed happily. At this moment, she didn’t think much of it, only thinking that Qian Yi'an simply wanted to paint her well. She looked at each painting seriously and couldn’t help but be amazed secretly. His painting skills were truly good, from the outline to the individual strands of hair, everything was clearly and vividly depicted. It must have taken him a lot of time to paint so many!

"When I have nothing to do, sometimes I can finish a painting in a day. But I am ashamed that I haven't been able to capture all the beauty of the song."

"It's already good enough, this is too shocking for me, no one has ever done so much for me." Xiao Yuge's nonchalant words, however, sparked a glimmer of hope in Qian Yi'an's eyes.

"There are still many more out in the courtyard." At that, Lianxin pointed again outside.

"Take me to see them quickly!" Xiao Yuge ran out excitedly like a child. Sure enough, there were several large paintings set up in the courtyard, all of her.

"You've drawn me too beautifully, Your Highness. Can I have it" Girls love beauty, Xiao Yuge looked at the portraits, she simply couldn't bear to part with them.

Qian Yi smiled and nodded. “It’s a drawing of you, of course you can take it.”

"Wonderful! Thank you, Your Highness!" This was the happiest Xiao Yuge had smiled in days. As Qian Tingxuan had said, when she smiled, she always perfectly combined innocence and allure, making it impossible not to be drawn to her.

Just then, a strange scent suddenly filled the air. Xiao Yu Ge's smile slowly faded, and she cautiously approached Qian Yi An: "Could it be We're encountering enemies even here"

"Your Highness!" Lianxin seemed to sense something as well, guarding them protectively with a wary expression.

Suddenly, a black shadow leaped forward and appeared before them in the blink of an eye. Without saying a word, he had a clear target in mind and lunged at Xiao Yuge with his sword! Fortunately, Lianxin was skilled in martial arts and swiftly parried the blow!

Xiao Yu Ge frowned secretly. This man in black was clearly coming for her. This was the palace, and someone actually dared to assassinate her so openly. It was too bold, wasn't it

The man in black wielded his sword with fierce skill, forcing Lian Xin to retreat step by step. In a moment of carelessness, he was kicked aside by the man in black's foot. The man in black then turned around and pointed his long sword straight at Xiao Yu Ge!

"Girl, be careful!"

Just as Xiao Yuge was about to make a move, Qian Yi'an suddenly scooped her up and held her on his lap, using his own body to shield Xiao Yuge from the sword!

"Pfft!"

The sound of the long sword piercing flesh was clearly audible. Qian Yi'an, whose body was thin and frail, swayed slightly, but still held Xiao Yu Ge tightly in his arms.

"Your Highness!"

Seeing her master injured, Lian Xin gritted her teeth and endured the pain in her own body, leaping forward to engage the men in black once more.

"Your Highness! You're hurt!" Xiao Yuge hurriedly jumped to the ground, discovering that Qian Yi'an's shoulder had been pierced by a sword. That sword was fierce enough, going straight through his back. If it had hit his chest, he estimated he would have been in grave danger.

Such cruelty! It seems this man in black wants to kill her without a doubt!

"I'm fine..." Qian Yi'an swayed, unconsciously pressing his wound. Bright red blood seeped from between his fingers.

“Your Highness, please bear with me for a moment.” Xiao Yuge no longer pretended to be gentle. She sprang forward, along with Lianxin, to face the black-clad man. Of course, she seemed mediocre in martial arts, and the long sword in the man’s hand almost hit her several times. But each time, she seemed to predict his moves, dodging them miraculously without any harm. To outsiders, however, she appeared to be stumbling around blindly by sheer luck.

Seizing the opportunity as the black-clothed man was entangled by Lian Xin, she clasped two venomous silver needles in her hand and struck swiftly. As expected, the two needles plunged into the black-clothed man's wrist at an almost imperceptible speed, rapidly burrowing deep into his flesh. Qian Tingxuan had guessed correctly; these were indeed the Ghost Shadow Piercing Needles taught to her by Old Feng. Unless one was a top-tier expert like Qian Tingxuan, there was simply no way to dodge them.

By the time the man in black realized something was amiss, it was already too late. A strange sensation coursed through his body, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. He instinctively waved his long sword, forcing Lian Xin and Xiao Yu Ge back with a palm strike. Then, with a leap, he disappeared into the depths of the bamboo forest in a few graceful strides!

He came suddenly and left just as quickly, not even leaving a trace!

"Your Highness!" Here, Lianxin supported Qian Yi'an who was almost unconscious, anxious not knowing what to do.

"Miss Lianxin, please help the young master back to his room first, and then bring me the medicine box."

Xiao Yu Ge had seen plenty of injured people, so she wasn't in a hurry. She carefully examined Qian Yi An's wound. Although it was deep, luckily it hadn't hit any vital points. After applying medicine, he only needed to rest for a few days.

After he had his wounds medicated and bandaged, he gradually regained consciousness.ked down, and it was none other than Supervisor Liu Lian and Salt Officer Zhang Qian!"Didn't you say that if I helped you and you became the salt commissioner, I could take your place Why is it that t...