The unconscious Yang An had a dream.
He dreamed he was lying on a fragrant grassy meadow, surrounded by blooming flowers, with butterflies and bees frolicking among them.
The sky full of wind and snow had been driven away by the warm sun.
Sunlight pierced through the dark clouds.
Casting beams of golden radiance upon him, feeling incredibly warm and comfortable.
It was like a fairyland.
His sister and brother-in-law were also in this fairyland.
Right beside that flower garden, his brother-in-law Li Yan picked a small pink flower from the bushes and tucked it behind his sister's ear.
His sister lowered her head, her face full of bashful shyness.
Butterflies fluttered, circling around them.
Looking at the deeply affectionate couple, Yang An teased, "Sis, Brother-in-law, when are you going to have a nephew or niece for me to play with?"
Li Yan's sallow, weathered face turned red.
He scratched his head and smiled foolishly.
His sister Yang Ning blushed even deeper. She casually grabbed the rolling pin she carried with her no matter when or where, and swung it wildly at Yang An.
"Yang Erlang! What nonsense are you spouting!"
"Marriage and having children are the foundation of human relations, how is that nonsense?"
"You still dare to speak!"
"Someone's anxious! Someone's anxious! I won't say who!"
Yang An laughed as he ran, with Yang Ning chasing behind him holding the rolling pin, while Li Yan watched the siblings with a chuckling smile.
However, amidst this happy and warm atmosphere.
As Yang An was running.
Somehow, he ran right in front of a golden carriage. Yes, it was Princess Anle's phoenix carriage, and the woman leaning against it still wore that supremely beautiful yet incredibly haughty expression.
"Little hunter."
As she spoke.
The sunlight above Yang An's head began to dissipate. A chilling wind howled, the flowers and grass gradually withered, the bees and butterflies vanished, and even his sister and brother-in-law disappeared without a trace.
In the blink of an eye.
Amidst a sky full of wind and snow.
Only he and Qin Guo'er remained. Thinking that Qin Guo'er had hidden his sister and brother-in-law, Yang An was furious and stepped forward to argue with her.
However, Qin Guo'er didn't bother speaking to him.
She raised her foot and kicked him to the snow, kicking him recklessly, even trying to shove her foot into his mouth!
Yang An flew into a towering rage.
As a manly man, how could he endure such humiliation?
His temper flared.
Not caring whether he could beat Qin Guo'er or not.
Yang An grabbed the foot the dog woman kicked over, yanked it downward, and simultaneously flipped himself on top of her. He didn't expect the dog woman to become so frail.
He barely exerted any force.
Yet, just like on Yunling Mountain, he pinned her firmly beneath him.
What amazed him even more was.
The texture of the little foot he held in his hand felt incredibly real. It was like a piece of warm jade that he couldn't bear to grip too tightly, afraid it might break. Moreover, an alluring fragrance emanated from the dog woman, drilling straight into his nose.
Figuring it was a dream, he was just about to do whatever he pleased.
When Yang An heard Qin Guo'er beneath him ask, "Does it feel good?"
Before he could answer.
Bang.
Qin Guo'er broke her foot free from his grasp and kicked him right in the face. Yang An flew into the air, spinning several times before crashing to the ground.
It hurt!
It really hurt!
A piercing pain radiated from his face.
Yang An woke up from the pain. Clutching his face and opening his eyes, his head still groggy and unclear, he found himself lying on a white fluffy rug.
The fur on the rug was extremely soft.
Lying on it felt like sinking into a cloud of cotton. Furthermore, this rug seemed to be a treasure; it radiated heat on its own, making the entire room feel warm and cozy.
He looked forward along the expanse of the white rug.
Stepping on the rug was a pair of small feet wearing white socks. At this moment, as if having been offended, they curled up shyly beneath a red skirt, looking exceedingly cute.
Yang An took a few extra glances.
Then, his gaze slowly traveled up the long skirt.
The first thing that entered his vision was a magnificent palace dress embroidered with hundred birds and Luan phoenixes, beautiful beyond measure. Above the skirt was a glowing jade belt, accentuating a waist that was already so slender it seemed a single hand could encircle it.
On either side of the waist.
Hands rested gracefully, like weeping willows brushing the surface of a lake. A pair of red and gold colored bangles adorned the delicate, snow-white wrists.
And further up.
Was a layer of cool, refreshing brocade.
Inside, covering her breathtaking figure, was a bodice woven from silver base threads and red silk.
At the very end of this magnificent and luxurious attire.
Yang An saw a face capable of bringing down nations and cities. A cicada-like broad forehead and delicate eyebrows, eyes shining like stars—so brilliantly exquisite it defied description, having received all the favoritism of the heavens.
Beneath such a face.
The previously breathtakingly exquisite dresses and jewelry were reduced to mere green leaves serving only to highlight the flower.
It was a beauty that suffocated.
Here, the suffocation was both descriptive and entirely physical.
The moment he clearly saw her face.
Yang An recalled the experience of having his neck stepped on by her on Yunling Mountain, nearly dying on the spot. His stress response kicked in, and he vaulted ten feet into the air from the rug.
He blurted out: "Holy fuck, you dog woman!"
The moment these words fell.
The entire grand hall of Princess Anle fell silent once more.
It was as if even time had stood still.
The well-endowed A'lan, the corn-gnawing Manman, the other seven female officials, and the several palace maids attending nearby all looked at him with unreadable expressions.
As if they were looking at a dead man.
Only one thought crossed everyone's mind: To dare curse the Princess... this man is dead, absolutely beyond saving.
Hearing the words "dog woman."
The shame and anger covering Qin Guo'er's face gradually faded. She sat back onto the soft couch, resting her cheek on her small hand.
She didn't speak.
She merely looked at Yang An with a half-smile.
Under the collective gaze of the crowd, Yang An quickly snapped fully awake, realizing that he no longer felt the slightest bit of pain anywhere on his body.
The flesh torn open by Wang Gou'er.
The broken finger bones, ribs, and back.
And the shoulder pierced by Zheng Huaiyi's spear.
All had vanished completely. Moreover, he felt his strength had seemingly increased significantly.
Even thinking with his toes.
Yang An knew what had happened. To not die from such severe injuries, it must be the dog woman... pah, Her Highness the Princess!
It must be Her Highness who saved me.
It seems she isn't that wicked after all; isn't she actually quite a good person?
Favorable feelings blossomed in Yang An's heart.
Filled with immense gratitude, he cupped his fists, bowed to Qin Guo'er, and said, "Thank you, Princess, for sparing my life! For such great grace, this lowly one will carve it into his heart and bones! Even if the Princess orders this lowly one to climb mountains of blades or plunge into seas of boiling oil in the future, I will absolutely not utter a single word of complaint!"
"Is that so?"
Qin Guo'er asked, "How do you know this Princess was sparing you?"
Yang An said confidently, "The Princess is as beautiful as her heart is kind. With such severe injuries, this lowly one would have died long ago if left alone. If the Princess truly wanted to kill me, why would you save me?"
"You certainly know how to talk. But while this Princess is beautiful, I am not kind in the slightest." Qin Guo'er coiled a lock of long hair around her fingertip, playing with it as she said with deep amusement, "What if this Princess just wanted to heal you, only to kill you afterward?"
Who would do something as pointless as taking off their pants to fart?
Yang An smiled. "Princess, please don't joke with me."
"This Princess never jokes."
"Qiu'er, Dong'er, kill him."
Qin Guo'er flipped her mood as easily as flipping a page. Following her command, with two shing, shing sounds of ringing swords, the two twin female officials with round faces and round eyes had already drawn their blades and stepped forward.
Even from several meters away.
Yang An could feel the chilling sharpness radiating from their swords.
Seeing the two rapidly closing in.
Raising their swords and genuinely preparing to hack at him.
The calm expression on Yang An's face stiffened. Now he was truly panicking: "Princess! Your Highness, let's talk this over!"
"Stop."
The instant the sword edges were about to land on Yang An's neck.
Qin Guo'er called the two off.
Even so.
Yang An's back was nearly soaked in cold sweat. Relaxing slightly, he said, "I knew you wouldn't kill me."
But before he could even finish breathing his sigh of relief.
Qin Guo'er's indifferent voice rang in his ears, "Drag him outside and kill him. If he dies here, he'll dirty this Princess's rug."
Yang An: !!!
Hearing this, Qiu'er and Dong'er swung their sleeves left and right.
Two strips of white silk shot out like striking vipers, transforming into nooses that tightly bound Yang An's shoulders. The two female officials gripped the silk tightly, pulled it taut, knocked Yang An off his feet, and began dragging him toward the exit of the hall.
Yang An hurriedly tried to break free.
However, although he had tenfold combat power, facing an absolute disparity in strength, having tenfold combat power was no different than having none at all.
After all, 0 × 10 still equals 0.
He only felt that the white silk wrapping around him was tougher than iron chains; he couldn't break free in the slightest!
Seeing that he was about to be dragged out of the grand hall by Qiu'er and Dong'er.
Yang An saw Princess Anle sitting in her soft chair, eating lychees served by A'lan, not even sparing him a single glance.
This dog woman is serious!
Life was too beautiful.
Still desperately wanting to live, he gripped the doorframe tightly with both hands and pleaded toward Qin Guo'er, "Princess, this lowly one was wrong! This lowly one knows he was wrong! This lowly one shouldn't have run his mouth! You are a great person with a great heart, please spare this lowly one's life!"
Qin Guo'er ignored him, feeding Manman instead.
Qiu'er and Dong'er continued dragging Yang An like robots. Seeing him resisting by grabbing the doorframe, the two pulled even harder.
"Stop pulling! My shoulders are going to snap!"
Yang An shouted in pain.
Then he begged Qin Guo'er for mercy again, "Princess! Your Highness! You are magnanimous, please reconsider!"
Princess Anle still acted as if she hadn't heard a thing.
Seeing Yang An being so stubborn.
Qiu'er and Dong'er pressed their lips together and exerted force simultaneously. Crack! The doorframe Yang An was clinging to splintered!
"Princess! My Princess! This lowly one hasn't even repaid your life-saving grace yet!! Can't you let this lowly one repay your grace before killing me!!!" Seeing that he was about to be dragged out of the hall by the twin sisters, Yang An shouted on the verge of despair.
"Let him go."
Following Princess Anle's order.
Qiu'er and Dong'er released their tension. With a flick of their sleeves, they retracted the white silk wrapped around Yang An's shoulders and obediently retreated back to the other female officials.
He survived.
Hugging the splintered doorframe, Yang An lay on the floor, his heart pounding with lingering fear, covered in sweat and utterly exhausted.
"Giggle~"
Seeing Yang An looking like he was about to cry, Qin Guo'er was delighted. Covering her bright cherry lips, she giggled enchantingly, then walked over to him with her hands clasped behind her back.
His filter for Qin Guo'er was completely shattered.
He knew this woman was nothing but a wicked lunatic.
Not knowing what she was going to do next, Yang An hurriedly scrambled up from the floor.
But just as he stood up.
Qin Guo'er reached out two fair, tender fingers, pinched one side of his cheek, and said with utter disdain, "As expected, you dog, you're much cuter when you look like you're about to cry than when you smile, don't you agree?"
Dog woman!
You better pray really hard!!
Pray that you never fall into my hands one day!!!
Yang An was furious internally, but on the outside, he didn't dare show the slightest hint of resistance. Yielding to Princess Anle's despotic power, he said expressionlessly, "Yes, everything the Princess says is correct."
"Good boy."
Qin Guo'er withdrew her small hand in satisfaction.
Noticing sweat on her fingers.
"So dirty."
She wiped her hand against Yang An's clothes twice in disgust, then called to A'lan, "Handkerchief."
A'lan, who was standing nearby, handed it over.
Taking the handkerchief.
Princess Anle took a few steps closer to Yang An, folded the handkerchief, and smiled as she haphazardly wiped Yang An's face. "Look at you, such a grown man, yet so filthy. Have you no shame?"
The female officials still kept their heads bowed, not daring to look.
A'lan braced herself and said, "Princess, isn't this somewhat inappropriate? Perhaps this servant should wipe the Young Master's face."
Princess Anle smiled sweetly. "It's fine."
She wiped even harder.
Not only did Yang An not feel the slightest bit flattered by the attention, but he felt as if his facial skin was going to be ripped off by this dog woman. It was like she was running a lawnmower over his face. The pain made him bare his teeth.
Yet he didn't dare resist.
He could only mumble thickly, "The Princess is of noble status, I can handle such trivial matters myself." Saying this, he reached for the handkerchief in Qin Guo'er's hand.
However, Qin Guo'er let out a displeased "Hmm?"
Yang An resentfully lowered his hands and endured the dog woman's torment.
After a moment, looking at Yang An's thoroughly cleaned face.
Princess Anle threw the handkerchief to A'lan with a sense of accomplishment. Tipping up her beautiful chin, she said, "Aren't you going to thank this Princess?"
Yang An, whose face was practically cramping, didn't dare not thank her.
He lowered his head slightly and said, "I thank the Princess for your great (lack of) grace and virtue."
"As long as you are obedient, this Princess will reward you often." Hearing this, Qin Guo'er smiled playfully and pinched Yang An's cheek twice again. Then she suddenly asked, "Right, didn't you say you wanted to repay this Princess? Tell me, how do you plan to repay this Princess's life-saving grace?"
"You absolutely must think carefully before speaking."
"If you make this Princess feel dissatisfied..."
With a flick of her small hand, Qin Guo'er produced the glittering golden dagger as if by magic, and feigned a stab toward Yang An's right eye.
Terrified, Yang An took several steps back.
Sweat nearly broke out again on his freshly wiped forehead. Without hesitation, he said, "This lowly one is willing to go through boiling water and treading on fire for the Princess, climb mountains of blades and..."
Before he could finish.
Qin Guo'er interrupted him impatiently, "Too empty. Say something practical."
Practical?
What counts as practical?
Yang An cursed internally, "Then this lowly one will build a temple and erect a monument for the Princess, burning incense and offering tribute every day?"
Bang!
Yang An was kicked to the floor again.
Before he could cry out in pain, a rich, elegant fragrance wafted down. Qin Guo'er gathered her long skirt and elegantly sat sideways on his torso.
A'lan roared internally.
My Princess! You are a Princess! This is highly inappropriate! Highly inappropriate!!!
The other female officials were already numb.
Not only did they not dare to look up, they hardly even dared to breathe.
Only Manman, oblivious to the danger, watched with keen interest. A'lan hurriedly shoved her little head down too.
Toying with the dagger in her hand.
Sitting on Yang An's chest, Qin Guo'er smiled incredibly dangerously. "Do you think this Princess is joking with you? I'll give you one last chance. If you still can't satisfy this Princess..."
A faint, almost imperceptible killing intent made Yang An's heart shudder!
Terrified the dog woman was actually going to kill him.
He racked his brains trying to figure out how to answer. But Qin Guo'er gave him no time to think at all. Pointing the dagger at his throat, she maliciously began a countdown.
"Ten."
"Nine."
And then Yang An heard the dog woman suddenly skip to: "One."
Yang An: !!!
Qin Guo'er raised the dagger and plunged it toward his neck!
Knowing exactly how sharp that dagger was.
Yang An's eyes nearly split open. With no time to think, he shouted desperately, "I am the Princess's person! From now on, I am entirely the Princess's person!!!"
The sharp dagger stopped half an inch from Yang An's throat.
Her goal achieved.
Qin Guo'er smiled in satisfaction.