After deceiving the villain, I was forced to love him.

Chapter 175 Beating Up 7

After leaving Xiao Lü, Bai Li Ce went to the agreed location.

First, take off that dark-colored outer garment and throw it away... tear it a little, then throw it into the ditch.

Finally, I plucked a leaf, imitated the sound of a cricket, blew on it for a while, and waited a moment.

Blow it again, wait again.

After repeating this three times, a rustling sound came from the bushes.

But there was no familiar moonlight or floral scent.

She didn't apply perfume today, so Wang Qingyan shouldn't be able to find her so quickly.

and so--

"Young lady!" Overjoyed, he hugged Baili Ce tightly, disregarding everything else at that moment.

Bai Li Ce, who had just stood up and was almost tackled by Seventeen, gritted his teeth and held on...

After enduring the pain in her left foot, she gently pushed him away. "What, were you worried I wouldn't come?"

"None of that matters anymore," Seventeen shook his head, but didn't remove his hand from Baili Ce's shoulder.

All intentions are self-evident.

"Yes, none of that matters anymore." Baili Ce no longer cared where he put his hands or whether it was inappropriate.

Seventeen nodded firmly, "Yes."

They assumed that Baili Ce had tacitly agreed.

"How are things going on your end?"

Noticing Baili Ce's pale face, Seventeen quickly looked him up and down, "Are you injured? How serious is it? Are you hurt...?"

"We ran into some trouble on the way, let's get down to business first."

"Can......"

"Don't worry, it's just a minor injury. Don't let it interfere with our business."

"Well..." Seeing that Baili Ce seemed to have difficulty walking, Seventeen quickly wiped a stone and helped her sit down. "Everything is arranged."

"Wang Qingyan was also lured there by our people."

"So smoothly?" His eyes were filled with disbelief.

"It's all thanks to Miss's excellent arrangements." Seventeen squatted down and stared intently at Baili Ce, her eyes filled with Baili Ce's beautiful features.

I didn't think about it from any other angle.

“Wang Qingyan won’t be fooled so easily. Tell me, who is acting as bait?”

After a moment's hesitation, Seventeen explained, "It is Cui Yuanshu, who embezzled 100,000 taels of disaster relief funds in the fifth year of Tiande and also embezzled 700,000 taels of silver in the He family case."

Tiande was the reign title of Lu Jian's father.

That incompetent ruler who almost squandered the country's wealth.

"Cui Yuanshu, the current Minister of Revenue?"

"Yes"

No wonder I told her first that the bait was a corrupt official.

"Heh," Baili Ce chuckled mockingly, his face practically screaming "The Minister of Revenue deserved it!" "Sister, you handled this matter beautifully!"

"but......"

Just as Seventeen was about to say something, he heard Baili Ce hesitate and then suppressed his thoughts.

"Since I left the Baili family, hasn't my sister officially succeeded as the family head? Why are you still calling her 'Young Miss'?"

Seventeen was taken aback, clearly not expecting her to ask that question.

She stood up and bowed solemnly, saying, "In Seventeen's heart, the head of the Baili family has always been only the young lady."

How loyal!

"I never imagined that, from beginning to end, only you have been the best to me." After thinking for a while, Baili Ce finally put on an expression of being so moved that he was about to cry, but with a smile on his lips.

It was a real test for her.

"..." Seventeen gazed deeply into Baili Ce's eyes, feeling it was time to express her feelings.

Gently placing a hand on Baili Ce's shoulder, all the courage she had accumulated in her life poured out in that moment, "Baili Ce, I..."

"Have the poison in the heads of the family been cured?" he interrupted again.

"..." Seventeen's carefully cultivated emotions vanished in an instant.

"I don't know the specifics of what happened, but I heard that after the Fifth Boss was arrested by the Investigation Division, he returned to normal not long afterward."

Receiving the same answer made Baili Ce feel a little better.

At least the people of Sanchengzhai were not completely wiped out.

"What about the others?" Pretending not to see the annoyance in his eyes, Baili Ce excitedly grabbed his arm and pressed for an answer.

Seventeen glanced at Baili Ce holding his hand, and although she was happy, she was also annoyed that she only cared about others.

"The third and second leaders have improved considerably. I visited Li Si Mei; her condition was more serious, but she can speak now. For safety reasons, His Majesty has sent them to the border to recuperate."

Li Simei's tongue has been cut out, how can she speak?

Once Baili Ce realized that Seventeen was just spouting nonsense, he decided not to hold back any longer.

"I feel relieved now."

"As long as you are all safe, I'm willing to go back even if it means all the other things."

Upon hearing this, Seventeen immediately lost control of herself, "You still want to go back?!"

"..." Baili Ce stared at him blankly.

Realizing her lapse in composure, Seventeen looked away awkwardly, stammering, "I, I mean..."

After struggling for a while, Seventeen looked up. He was afraid that if he didn't speak up, he would never have the chance in his life. "Come with me."

"Baili Ce, come with me."

She stared at him for a moment, then, feeling inferior but naturally avoiding his burning gaze, said, "I... am already a withered flower."

Seventeen followed her gaze and firmly grasped her hand, "It's okay."

"I will take you to a place where no one knows your past."

"I will help you forget all the bad things."

"These trivial matters are no longer our concern."

"I will be with you every day from now on."

"Are you... willing?"

My friend, you really dare to say that!

Bai Li Ce finally understood why he was confident in competing with Wang Qing Yan for the person.

Damn it, it really is just as her aunt said.

"So, you really think I'm a used woman?"

Seeing Baili Ce's expression suddenly turn cold, Seventeen immediately denied it, "I didn't mean that..."

Overwhelmed with emotion, he collapsed to the ground, his limbs giving way.

"Hmph..." He stood up slowly.

She dusted herself off and looked down at him. "When I said I was a withered flower, I was just being modest. What are you to think I'm just a piece of rotten cabbage?"

"You...you, you've been controlled by him?" He stared at Baili Ce in disbelief, preferring to believe she was under a spell rather than believe she would speak to him like that.

"You'll find out soon enough."

She calmly grabbed his collar, giving him the close proximity he had longed for. "I have suspicions about my second uncle in Xizhou, the fifth branch of that good-for-nothing family, the old head of the household who has been neglecting his duties for a long time... and even my aunt."

"I never expected it to be you."

"Just now, I was still thinking that you couldn't stand Wang Qingyan's torment, so you sold me."

“I always thought you were different from Beatrice.”

Seventeen, tears welling in her eyes, shook her head repeatedly, "No, no...believe me, I didn't betray you, I didn't..."

"Lies!!" He was slapped so hard that blood came out.

He then steered the conversation back on track, saying, "Besides those people just now, you were the only one who had a chance to obtain the formula for the antidote pill. I'd like to ask you, how come it became ineffective that day?!"

If the antidote hadn't failed that day, would she have been able to be manipulated by Wang Qingyan like that?!

"I...I don't know," Seventeen tried her best to calm down, but having never seen Baili Ce like this before, he couldn't help but look away when he met her eyes.

"You don't know?! Slap slap slap..." Several more slaps landed on both sides.

After you finish typing, ask again, "Do you understand?"

"I, I..." Seventeen was almost about to admit it, but when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he gave a different answer, "I don't know."

Keep hitting him... hit him until his face was swollen.

"I'm asking you one last time, you—"

Bai Li Ce was exhausted, and his feet ached terribly...

He simply sat back down, leaning against the tree trunk, and wondered, "Why did my antidote pill fail?"

"Cough..." Feeling the effects of the medicine slowly fading, Seventeen was delighted to realize that Baili Ce still cared about him.

With this level of care, what else is he afraid of?

Even if she finds out the truth later, as long as she still has him in her heart, it's only a matter of time before she forgives him.

He stood up shakily, walked to her and knelt down. "Please believe me, young lady, I really don't know why the antidote pill failed."

"But I suspect it must be related to Lu Jian."

“A ruler is most fickle. He may verbally regard the Baili family as allies, but in private he might very well use you to control Wang Qingyan.”

Bai Li Ce closed his eyes; he no longer wanted to listen.

As luck would have it, the poison-avoiding pill was indeed given to her by the dog emperor.

but......

Although the emperor is not human, if he could truly bring peace and stability to the country by selling himself, he would have taken the throne long ago.

Seeing her silence, Seventeen assumed she agreed with this statement and continued her analysis with full confidence, "In that case, you will definitely hate Wang Qingyan to the core, and naturally you will be more inclined to side with the court."

"But this is just my speculation. It would probably take a lot of effort to verify it."

"Time is of the essence, so please come with me for now, young lady."

Of course, Seventeen wouldn't admit that he was afraid that even Baili Ming and the Minister of Revenue combined wouldn't be a match for Wang Qingyan.

"What's the rush?" Bai Li Ce took out some balm and applied some behind his ears.

as well as--

Seventeen's lips, cheeks, and palms.

"..." Seventeen was initially reluctant to do such a strange thing, but after hearing what she said next, he couldn't refuse anymore.

"Don't worry, how could I bear to poison you?"

"I hit you a few times just to wipe the slate clean. From now on, we're equals..."

Seeing him obediently spread out his hands for her to finish applying the ointment, Baili Ce couldn't help but laugh.