I am the villain in the book

Great Feng Dynasty, Jianchang Prefecture.

Just as Wei Changtian was repeatedly doubting whether he, as a transmigrator, was a failure, Bai Youheng, far away in an inn in Jianchang Prefecture City, held a mother-child jade in his hand, his expression somewhat gloomy.

Du Chang's information was correct, the night watchman who had been running to Zuichun Pavilion these past few days was indeed Bai Youheng's subordinate.

Chu Xianping and Wei Changtian were also correct in their guesses, all of this was actually a test by Bai Youheng.

He deliberately had the night watchman make some unusual moves in order to verify whether the "information" he had obtained earlier was a conspiracy against him.

Now, five days had passed, and the night watchman was still safe and sound.

In Bai Youheng's view, there were only two possible explanations for this situation.

Either the enemy was too incompetent and had not noticed such a spy.

Or the matter of "Wei Changtian has a way to find Yama" was true, and not a trap to lure Gu Diao out.

Bai Youheng naturally did not believe Wei Changtian was so stupid.

What's more, there was also Chu Xianping beside the latter, who could detect Pei Dajun's abnormality.

So... they could really find Gu Diao?

Thinking of this, Bai Youheng's expression could not help but become even more unsightly.

Since he had taken a detour from Longzhou to enter the Great Feng Dynasty, it would still take at least seven or eight days to return to Fengyuan.

And if he could not find out what Wei Changtian was going to do, and then take countermeasures... then this period of time would be enough for the other party to kill Gu Diao several times.

Bai Youheng was a very suspicious person.

The advantage of such a personality was that he was very vigilant, taking three steps while watching one, and rarely putting himself in danger.

But the disadvantage was that if he was already in danger, then his hesitation might become a fatal flaw.

Even if this danger was actually false.

"..."

The moonlight was pale, and it was often obscured by dark clouds, making the outside of the window dim and faint.

Bai Youheng sat at the table for a long time, and then finally made up his mind.

He pinched his fingers and slowly closed his eyes.

Several dozen breaths later, a black shadow floated out of a secluded small lake in Fengyuan City.

This black shadow clearly floated up from the bottom of the water, but strangely, the lake surface was without a trace of ripples, and the crescent moon in the water was intact.

Several fish swam under the black shadow, seemingly curious as to what it was.

However, before they could see it clearly, the latter shot silently towards the small woods by the lake.

The dense trees blocked the moonlight and the fish's sight.

Only after several dozen more breaths did a man in white walk out of the woods in a hurry.

He walked very quickly, and soon disappeared completely.

But on the soft soil behind him, not a single footprint or trace was left.

The next morning, Zuichun Pavilion.

When Song Li slowly opened her eyes, she only felt as if she had had a very, very long dream.

Last night, she met a young master.

Not only did he not touch her, but he also asked about her background.

She felt so desolate at the time that she even threw herself into his arms and cried.

Then, her memory stopped abruptly at the moment when another young master pushed the door open and came in.

So what exactly happened after that?

Why did she suddenly fall asleep?

"Ah!"

With a soft cry, Song Li hurriedly lifted the quilt, wanting to check if her clothes were still there.

And with her movements, two pages of thin paper placed on the pillow were blown up by the wind, swaying and falling to her hand.

"This is..."

Song Li picked up the two pages of paper in confusion, and then her whole person froze.

She was illiterate, and Zuichun Pavilion had not taught her "qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting" as the madam had said.

However, she could recognize one of the pieces of paper even if she died.

Because this paper had her bright red fingerprint on it.

"Huh?"

The madam, who had leaned in, met the flustered Song Li as soon as she raised her head. Just as she was about to speak, she caught a glimpse of the latter's bare feet:

"Oh my! My little ancestor! Why are you running around barefoot? What if you catch a cold!"

"Quick! Put on your shoes before you speak!"

"..."

The madam, who had pricked her with a needle yesterday, was actually concerned about whether she would catch a cold today. The madam's 180-degree turn in attitude stunned Song Li on the spot.

The madam was not embarrassed either. Seeing that Song Li did not move, she simply walked to the bed, picked up the embroidered shoes, and then diligently placed them at Song Li's feet.

"Miss Song, please put on your shoes quickly."

"Y-you..."

Song Li's eyes suddenly widened: "You called me Miss Song?"

"Oh dear!"

The madam said with a flattering smile: "Miss Song, you are now a free person, so our family naturally can't call you by that stage name anymore."

"I-I'm a free person?"

"Can our family deceive you?"

The madam's smile was even more pronounced: "The young master who was in your room yesterday has already redeemed you!"

"H-he redeemed me?"

"Yes, isn't the indenture returned to you, miss? That young master also left a silver note for you, miss."

"Th-this is a silver note?"

"..."

As if turning into a repeater, Song Li repeated the madam's words one sentence after another. After a long time, she gradually accepted the reality that "she was already free."

If this kind of thing happened to other courtesans, after the surprise, what would be left would definitely be ecstasy.

But Song Li's expression was a little strange now.

There was joy, but also sorrow.

"Madam, where is that young master?"

After hesitating for a while, she silently put on her shoes and asked softly: "Where should I look for him?"

"Our family doesn't know this."

The madam truthfully repeated Chu Xianping's words: "He only said that after Miss Song wakes up, she can leave on her own."

"H-he didn't ask me to look for him?" Song Li's mouth opened slightly.

"That's indeed the case."

The madam guessed what Song Li was thinking, so she explained with a smile: "According to our family, that young master should have seen that you, miss, are pitiful, so he simply did a good deed."

"..."

The red glow spread over the windowsill, and the half-day fiery red morning sun reflected the blush on Song Li's cheeks.

The "sorrow" in her eyes had completely dissipated, and this time, what was left was indeed only "joy."

"I-I understand!"

An hour later, the north of Fengyuan City.

The dilapidated alley was not paved with bluestone, and mud splashed up, leaving many black spots on the woman's exquisite embroidered shoes and long skirt.

However, the woman didn't care about this at all. She just lifted her skirt and trotted all the way to a dilapidated small courtyard, and then excitedly knocked on the courtyard door, shouting loudly:

"Brother Liu! Open the door!"

"It's me! I'm back!"

"Dong dong dong!"

"Dong dong dong dong!"

"..."

The shouts and knocks on the door were full of joy and excitement, but there was still no movement from the other side of the door.

The woman was a little puzzled, but she only thought that the person inside the door happened to have gone out, so she gathered her skirt and sat down on the stone next to her, preparing to wait for that person to come back.

However, before she had been sitting for long, a man's voice suddenly came from inside the door.

"Y-you, are you Li'er?"

"It's me!"

The woman immediately got up from the stone when she heard the movement, and shouted joyfully: "Brother Liu, open the door! I'm back!"

"..."

The dilapidated courtyard door was still tightly closed, and the man inside the door hesitated for a long time before finally stammering in Song Li's full expectation:

"Li-Li'er, you should go back."

"D-don't blame Brother Liu for being heartless, it's just that I really can't afford to offend this Zuichun Pavilion."