Chapter 145: Trapped in the Scheme (Part III)

The Seventh Prince readily agreed.

With Ruoli leading the way, the four of them followed in the middle, while Nanny Wu brought up the rear. After turning two corners, a small, peaked-roof wooden cabin appeared in the middle of a small grove.

Tao Ming stepped inside and saw that the room was barely ten square meters. It featured four windows—two large and two small—a set of table and chairs, and nothing else.

The Seventh Prince carefully inspected the room. Finding no danger, he stood guard at the door.

Tao Ming closed the windows and persuaded Ruoli and Nanny Wu to step outside. She removed the silk scarf from her shoulders, took off her outer garments, and changed into the ice-silk dress.

Hu Yimeng’s face flushed as she whispered, "Miss Tao, the undergarment you are wearing looks quite provocative."

Tao Ming pressed her arms together: "Does it look good?"

Hu Yimeng covered her eyes with her hands, peeking through her fingers: "You... you... you..."

Tao Ming pulled the neckline over her head and asked, "If I sold this kind of undergarment, would you buy one?"

Hu Yimeng whispered, "I... I would buy one secretly."

Tao Ming had just finished dressing when a woman's voice came from the back window: "Help me."

The three women walked to the window to try and open it, but it wouldn't budge.

Immediately after, the voice called out again: "Help me."

The door was kicked open, and the Seventh Prince hurried in: "Mingming, are you alright?"

Tao Ming watched helplessly as Ruoli closed the door behind the Seventh Prince. She said in a low voice, "Cousin, we've been set up."

The Seventh Prince immediately turned to open the door, but it remained locked. He tried every window in turn, but all were sealed shut.

Tao Ming emitted a stream of water from her fingertips, hoping to find a gap to send a message outside, but no matter which direction she probed, the water was repelled by a protective barrier.

The Seventh Prince summoned a bolt of lightning in his hand and struck the door, but as soon as the lightning touched the surface, it was swallowed up, having no effect at all.

Tao Ming stopped him: "Cousin, save your energy."

The Seventh Prince paced along the walls: "What exactly are they trying to do by locking us in here?"

Tao Ming carefully recalled the events that had just unfolded and said, "They shouldn't intend to kill us; Qiao Qingyao cannot bear the responsibility for that. I suspect this is a setup to catch us in a compromising position."

Hu Lianmeng exclaimed, "Catch us in a compromising position?"

Tao Ming felt a pang of guilt and said, "This was likely aimed at me. I’m sorry to have dragged you all into this."

Hu Yimeng said excitedly, "How thrilling!"

Tao Ming thought for a moment and suggested, "I have a portable cultivation space with me. Shall the four of us hide inside?"

All three agreed. Tao Ming focused her mind, but she could not enter the Douzhuan Xingyi. She calmed herself and tried again, but still failed.

Tao Ming walked over to the Seventh Prince and grabbed his arm: "Cousin, I don't know why, but I can't enter. Try putting me into your living-creature bag."

The Seventh Prince did as she asked, but that also failed. He said in a low voice, "It seems someone has severed the connection between this place and the outside world."

"What do you mean?"

"Whether it is a treasure pouch or a living-creature bag, the space within them exists in reality; the pouches merely provide a link to those spaces," the Seventh Prince explained as he took out his treasure pouch and tried to retrieve an item. "Now that someone has blocked the connection to the outside, neither the treasure pouches nor the living-creature bags will work."

Tao Ming thought to herself that the Douzhuan Xingyi must also exist in reality, but where was its physical location?

Upon hearing the Seventh Prince's explanation, the Hu sisters took out their own treasure pouches and tried them, finally giving up hope.

Tao Ming remembered Su Nanxing saying that You'an was always protecting her, so she quickly called out: "You'an, are you there?"

You'an's voice drifted down from the rafters: "Do not panic, Young Mistress. We shall adapt to the situation."

Hearing You'an's voice, Tao Ming felt much more at ease.

Hu Yimeng shrieked, "There’s someone else in the room? Doesn't that mean everything I just said was overheard?"

Tao Ming rolled her eyes—she had just been changing clothes!

You'an’s voice was elusive: "I do not look at what I should not see, nor do I listen to what I should not hear."

The Seventh Prince jumped onto the rafters to search, but finding nothing, he jumped down and asked, "Mingming, who is this? Is he reliable?"

"He was sent by Nanxing to protect me. He is absolutely reliable."

The four stood in silence in the center of the room, waiting for worse news.

Soon, Tao Ming smelled a cloyingly sweet scent and sniffed the air: "Do you smell that?"

The Seventh Prince covered his nose: "Oh no, it’s Fantasy Lust Incense!"

Tao Ming followed suit and covered her nose: "What is that?"

"A highly potent aphrodisiac."

Hu Lianmeng and Hu Yimeng reacted a moment later, covering their noses as well.

You'an jumped down from the rafters, his entire body draped in black, his form flickering. He placed a small bottle on the table: "Young Mistress, here is the antidote."

"Why does your treasure pouch work?" Tao Ming walked over and opened the bottle, revealing small white pills, which she poured out and divided into four portions.

"I keep common antidotes in a hidden pocket," You'an thought to himself, *I am a professional, after all.*

The Seventh Prince looked at the antidote and said, "It’s useless."

Tao Ming and the Hu sisters took the antidote; the heat on Hu Lianmeng and Hu Yimeng began to fade.

Tao Ming, however, still felt her entire body burning. Her breathing grew shallow, and strange, intense sensations began to rise within her. She gasped, "You'an, the antidote isn't working for me. Is there anything else?"

The Seventh Prince gritted his teeth and said, "It's useless. Quickly, tie me up and face me toward the wall."

Despite his confusion, You'an quickly bound the Seventh Prince tightly and moved him to a corner, facing the wall.

Tao Ming felt the heat coursing through her. She bit her tongue hard to try and stay clear-headed, but it was in vain.

You'an said, "My apologies, Young Mistress," and bound Tao Ming as well, having the Hu sisters move her to the corner opposite the Seventh Prince.

You'an brought out more antidotes and fed them to Tao Ming and the Seventh Prince, but they remained ineffective.

Tao Ming had never known time to move so slowly. Her skin felt itchy everywhere, as if Su Nanxing’s hands were wandering over her body, igniting every sense they touched, and she could not help but let out soft, pained moans.

You'an quickly grabbed the silk scarf from the table and gagged Tao Ming.

The Hu sisters watched Tao Ming writhing on the floor, both reaching out to hold her down so she wouldn't hurt herself.

For the first time, You'an felt helpless. He paced the room anxiously, silently praying for Su Nanxing to arrive soon.

Suddenly, Hu Yimeng let out a cry: "What is that?"

You'an walked over to Tao Ming and saw a pair of red eyes emerging on her forehead, glowing with an evil light. He immediately knocked the Hu sisters unconscious, fed them a sleeping draught, and bound them as well, placing them in the center of the room.

After doing this, You'an returned to Tao Ming's side and stared at the eyes on her forehead, falling into a deep, heavy silence.

...

Su Nanxing had waited for fifteen minutes, but he could wait no longer. He jumped off the carriage and was about to head toward the Sixth Prince's mansion when someone called out from behind: "Su Seventeen!"

He turned to see Ding Hongchang, the ninth son of the Ding family, walking over with a smile: "Are you here to pick up the young ladies of the Su household too?"

Su Nanxing responded with a smile: "Naturally. Is Brother Ding here to pick up your two sisters?"

The two chatted as they walked to the front gate of the Sixth Prince's mansion. The doorman looked at them, appearing troubled: "Young masters, we only invited the ladies today. I am afraid it would be inconvenient for you to enter."

Su Nanxing’s smile faded: "I saw the Seventh Prince enter the mansion before me just now. Could it be that there are some shameful dealings going on inside?"