After Drugging the Female Lead with an Aphrodisiac (Ancient-Style Lily Futa) - Chapter 19

A-Yao was rewrapping Lu Qian’s wounds while tears streamed down her face.

Jiang Xiyue had already left.

Earlier, when Li Sanlang led the crowd charging all the way into the middle courtyard, A-Yao—who had been staying in the side room—couldn’t sit still after hearing the commotion. After instructing Qi’er not to go outside, she rushed over. Just as she saw the Duke’s household people losing ground completely and was about to charge into the study to save her miss, the door suddenly opened from inside.

Jiang Xiyue—after all, someone long accustomed to being in a position of power—shouted “Impudence!” and the courtyard instantly fell silent for a moment. Then Lu Qian’s voice came from inside the room, telling everyone to stop. After that, Jiang Xiyue walked out with an arrogant expression, leading her people away without looking back.

A-Yao sniffled: “We never should have let them leave.”

It was only after Lu Qian called her into the room and removed her upper robe that A-Yao saw her miss’s wounds had all been torn open again by Jiang Xiyue. She blamed herself for being useless—not only failing to protect her miss, but allowing her to be tormented by Jiang Xiyue just to keep her and Qi’er safe.

Lu Qian leaned against the headboard with her eyes closed and said faintly: “We can’t let the entire village be destroyed just for my sake.”

Although Jiang Xiyue had let the villagers’ intrusion slide because of the oath she swore, if anyone had actually laid hands on her personally, that would be another matter entirely. While Lu Qian had ways to protect herself if the Duke’s household came seeking retribution, she couldn’t safeguard every single one of the hundred-odd households in the village.

The medicated cotton soaked in strong liquor touched a wound across her upper abdomen. The blood-red gash—sliced by a sharp blade—stung fiercely when the alcohol hit it. Lu Qian’s whole body shuddered in pain. A-Yao looked at the bean-sized beads of sweat on her miss’s forehead with heartache and tentatively suggested: “Miss, why don’t we go to the yamen and sue the Jiang family? They forced their way into a private residence and injured the homeowner. No matter where we go to file the complaint, we’d have reason on our side. Even Young Master Pan and the old madams of various households would have to side with us if they knew.”

But Lu Qian was not particularly moved. After enduring the sharp pain at her wound, she spoke softly: “Not appropriate.”

Why it wasn’t appropriate, Lu Qian could not tell A-Yao. If Jiang Xiyue had merely beaten her today, Lu Qian would certainly have sued—not only sued, but made sure Jiang Xiyue’s reputation stank throughout the entire city. But the problem was that Jiang Xiyue had come to fuck her. Was Lu Qian supposed to accuse her of rape?

Moreover, the cock had now returned to Lu Qian’s body. If she tried to frame Jiang Xiyue and pushed her too far, who knew what desperate measures the woman might take in retaliation.

In short, the two of them had reached a point where neither could truly move against the other.

After finishing the medicine, A-Yao rewrapped the gauze. She glanced at Lu Qian—still with her eyes closed—and hesitated several times before finally asking: “Miss, should we put some medicine on the wound on your mouth too?”

Her miss’s lower lip was a mangled mess of blood and flesh. Though she claimed it was from knocking against the corner of a table, A-Yao couldn’t see it as anything but a bite. She couldn’t help feeling both puzzled and angry. Was Jiang Xiyue part dog? Wasn’t beating someone enough—she had to bite their lip too?!

A-Yao, innocent in such matters, naturally couldn’t understand why. Lu Qian offered no explanation and simply let her wonder.

At that moment, a childish voice called from outside the room: “Miss, there’s a big sister outside who says her name is E-Jun and wants to see you.”

A-Yao frowned slightly. Why were so many people showing up to bother her miss today? At the same time she silently blamed Qi’er for being too young to understand—things were already in such chaos at home; even if someone came to the door, she should have just turned them away.

But when her miss heard the name E-Jun, she opened her eyes: “Let her in.”

“Miss…” A-Yao wanted to dissuade her, but Lu Qian shook her head: “Help me to the small parlor to sit.”

Lu Qian changed into fresh clothes with difficulty. Seeing this, A-Yao quickly stepped forward to help. She carefully dressed her miss layer by layer, then draped a thick cloak over her shoulders for warmth before supporting her out from behind the antique shelf.

The green-clothed woman wearing a face veil had barely sat down when she saw Lu Qian being helped in, walking with obvious difficulty. Surprise flickered in the eyes visible above the veil: “It seems I’ve come at a bad time?”

Lu Qian sat on the low couch opposite her: “Just some small matters. No need to mind them.”

E-Jun remembered the wary, hostile looks she had encountered all the way from the main gate and thought to herself that it probably wasn’t so small. But she had come today with important business, so she didn’t dwell on it and got straight to the point: “I only recently learned that you came looking for me back in the first month?”

E-Jun also knew Lu Qian had likely kept her visit to the pleasure district hidden from those around her, so she avoided mentioning Drunken Spring Pavilion by name. Lu Qian smiled faintly, understanding her consideration, and turned to dismiss A-Yao.

Only then did E-Jun speak freely: “That day I was serving a very important client and couldn’t get away all night. I didn’t hear anyone asking for me. It was only yesterday when little Tao’er accidentally let it slip that I found out you had come. That girl usually seems honest—who would have thought she’d take dirty money and deceive both sides for others!”

Speaking of her foolish maid, E-Jun gnashed her teeth in anger: “This morning I already had Mama sell her off. A backstabbing thing with such a black heart is nothing but trouble to keep around. But because I was kept in the dark for a whole month, I could only come today to apologize to you. That girl said she followed someone’s instructions and brought you a pot of tea that day. I don’t know if…”

E-Jun had spent her life in that kind of place—what dirty trick hadn’t she seen? Originally, when Lu Qian came to her, it was because she heard E-Jun had a close female friend in the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion. Lu Qian wanted to ask that friend for information. Normally, acting as a go-between was something E-Jun had no problem with. But seeing such an ice-and-snow beauty openly stroll into a brothel, she couldn’t resist teasing her. She told Lu Qian that if she personally carved a double-headed wooden dildo for women to use together—as E-Jun instructed—then perhaps her friend would be pleased enough to meet Lu Qian.

Lu Qian had shown no change in expression at the time. She simply nodded, said “fine,” and left. After nearly two months passed with no further contact, E-Jun assumed she had only pretended to be calm on the surface while inwardly refusing, and had given up. Who could have guessed her own maid had been bribed? Working in the pleasure quarters, E-Jun naturally knew what kind of drug was most likely to be used if someone wanted to harm a woman. So the moment she learned what happened yesterday, she rushed over to Lu Qian’s house today in a panic.

Though the Lu Qian before her was bloodless and looked as though she had suffered a severe illness, she still sat steadily upright. She lifted her teacup and calmly took a sip: “That day I waited for you a while. When you didn’t come, I left. I didn’t drink the tea.”

Lu Qian lied without changing expression. E-Jun let out a breath of relief. She didn’t dare press further about the wooden dildo’s whereabouts. Instead, to prove the sincerity of her apology, she voluntarily offered Lu Qian a piece of information: “The demonic cultivator you were investigating before—I’ve finally got a lead. He should be a Daoist from the Quan Tian Sect. That sect is extremely crooked, with many followers and powerful backers. My friend said if you want to deal with them, you must proceed with caution.”

Lu Qian hadn’t expected that the notoriously opportunistic and money-loving fourth manager of the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion would actually give her information for free. But… she gave a bitter smile: “I already know about this. To be honest, I clashed with them yesterday. I nearly lost my life.”

Only now did E-Jun realize Lu Qian’s condition was the result of serious injury. Guilt rose in her heart. If not for her own teasing demand, Lu Qian might have received the warning from the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion much earlier and could have avoided being caught unprepared and nearly dying at her enemy’s hands.

E-Jun pressed her lips together. It was too late for hindsight now. Seeing Lu Qian’s weary expression, she rose to take her leave: “This time I owe you one. If you ever need information again in the future, go to Golden Osmanthus Lane and look for a house with a paper butterfly hanging under the eaves. Once you arrive there, you should get what you want.”

E-Jun curtsied and left through the door, leaving Lu Qian staring into her tea with a heavy, unreadable gaze.
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Author’s Note:

An occasional free plot chapter—hope you dear readers enjoy the main storyline of this novel too!