TRT – Chapter 25 The Treasure-Snatching Heroine

Minmin arrogantly thrust a fist toward the First Madam, Third Madam, and Ninth Madam, then suddenly stuck up her middle finger and muttered under her breath:

Miss Minmin is not an ordinary woman.

Miss Minmin never bows her head before any man, always raising her face and meeting them straight on.

Miss Minmin almost never salutes high officials or nobles—she always smiles and offers a handshake.

Miss Minmin can dance wonderfully.

Miss Minmin can sing beautifully.

Miss Minmin’s style is absolutely unique.

Miss Minmin’s clothes lead the latest fashion trends of the Late Ming.

Miss Minmin is very kind to the servants.

When Miss Minmin turns serious, her presence is commanding.

When Miss Minmin smiles, she’s adorable.

Miss Minmin is lively; she often gathers the maids and servants of the residence to play an interesting game called Truth or Dare.

Miss Minmin has literary talent. She often sells poetry to nobles who come asking for calligraphy, and while counting money by herself, she mutters: “Stealing books doesn’t count as stealing, plagiarism doesn’t count as plagiarism~”

Miss Minmin is eloquent. Every afternoon she sits in the courtyard and tells us long serialized stories called Class 7-1’s Bad Boys, while also instilling us with lots of beginner’s knowledge about men loving men.

Miss Minmin often says astonishing things. Once, the Fourth Prince she hates most sent her a priceless bottle of Zuoe Dan. We thought she would either refuse it or smash it in anger. Who knew—she accepted it calmly and said: “Those idiots who smash priceless treasures to show their hatred are the real fools! Whatever he gives me, I’ll take it, then slowly drag him out!” Truly remarkable! Still, the Fourth Prince really was generous—Miss Minmin only had a fever, yet he sent such expensive medicine! One bottle of that and even the dead could be revived!

Miss Minmin likes pine nuts. Every time I see her happily cracking them open and eating them, I have to restrain myself from telling her that those pine nuts were especially gifted by the Fourth Prince. (In my heart, I was firmly determined to match my dearest Miss Minmin with my dearest Luo Cheng as a pair…)

Miss Minmin doesn’t like Luo Cheng, whom all the Madams are fighting over, but Luo Cheng pesters her every day. Miss Minmin once asked me what sort of person Luo Cheng was, but I couldn’t answer. So she went and asked him directly:

—“What on earth are you?”

—“I’m Luo Cheng~”

—“Nonsense! Then tell me, what is Luo Cheng?”

—“Luo Cheng is me~”

I saw the veins bulge frighteningly on the back of Miss Minmin’s hand. From then on, I knew two things: First, Miss Minmin actually knew martial arts. Second, Miss Minmin could not beat Luo Cheng.

For some reason, Miss Minmin desperately wanted the treasure of Prince Luo’s manor, and she was convinced it was hidden in the study. So she snuck there again and again. But the study was tightly guarded—how could she get in? After failing repeatedly, one day I accidentally mentioned that when she fainted from the fever during that banquet, she had actually spent the whole night asleep in the study! The stunned expression on her face at that moment is still etched in my mind—her regret and anguish were so intense that even I wanted to help her…

Miss Minmin is easily embarrassed. When I told her that although Luo Cheng went to the Madams’ boudoirs, if Prince Luo himself fancied someone, he would directly take her into the study… She immediately went running joyfully to Qingqing to ask how to seduce a man, not even waiting to hear the second half of my sentence… (Those women never came out again…)

When Miss Minmin encountered Prince Luo by the waterside pavilion, Qingqing practically announced with a cruel expression: “Seduce him!”

Miss Minmin shuffled over step by step. Qingqing gestured and said: “Smile!”

So Miss Minmin forced out a hideous grin that even made me shiver… Prince Luo frowned slightly but said nothing.

Minmin helplessly looked to Qingqing. Qingqing made a sitting gesture: “Sit on his lap!”

So Miss Minmin scurried around him like an ant on a hot pan, circling and circling. At last she gritted her teeth and sat down next to him. Prince Luo paused, glanced at her, then indifferently went back to reading.

Qingqing stomped her feet in fury, cursing her uselessness, then mouthed desperately: “Hold his hand!”

Miss Minmin hesitated, then slowly reached out toward the powerful hand he rested on the railing. Her hand trembled and trembled… even I could see the torment in her heart! Closer, closer, closer… Qingqing was even more nervous than she was! Though I didn’t support Minmin and Prince Luo, under that tense atmosphere even I wanted her to grab his hand! Just as her small hand was about to sneak up on his, Prince Luo suddenly withdrew it and propped his forehead instead! Everyone inwardly let out a sigh of disappointment…

Qingqing muttered angrily: “Only the ultimate move left! Minmin, kiss him!!”

So Minmin, looking like she’d been stabbed, painfully leaned her face closer to Prince Luo… Watching her twisted expression from the struggle inside, I almost wanted to cry… Miss Minmin really is so shy!

—“What exactly are you trying to do?” Prince Luo finally lost patience, turning his head to block that ferocious face.

“I…” Minmin’s whole face burned red, her eyes unfocused. Shame, anxiety, refusal—all melted into a pleading look, like a little puppy gazing up at him with sparkling eyes. Prince Luo stiffened all over under her gaze.

The stars in Minmin’s eyes multiplied endlessly… In the end, Prince Luo sighed and helplessly said: “What do you actually want? Just say it.”

“I want to go to the study!”

“Fine.” Prince Luo answered casually.

The three of us froze. Just like that?!

“Tonight, go with Steward Ren.” With that, he ignored Minmin and buried himself in his book again.

Miss Minmin left in a daze, so she didn’t see the faint trace of a smile at Prince Luo’s lips.

………………

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POV Switch! The narration in Xiniang’s voice ends here~~ Our Minmin is back!

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For tonight’s treasure-snatching operation, I made plenty of preparations.

First, personnel arrangements:

The first step was to send Qingqing out of the manor, telling her to wait for me at the Tianzu Temple to help me escape.

“Do you really think you can steal the treasure out of there?” Qingqing’s tone was full of distrust. Ever since I begged her to teach me how to seduce Prince Luo, this little girl’s arrogance had grown day by day!

“Relax! As long as the treasure is there, I’m confident I can get it out!”

“What about Prince Luo?”

“Even less to worry about. He doesn’t look like the type to be interested in women at all~ When I tried to seduce him today, he didn’t react one bit!”

“That doesn’t count as seduction.”

“Aiya! I’ll manage somehow, trust me! Just stay obediently at the temple and wait for me!”

……

The second step was persuading Xiniang to come with us.

“I won’t go. I owe Luo Cheng too much. While I live, I belong to the Luo Manor; when I die, I’ll be its ghost.”

“Then why didn’t you tell on me about stealing the treasure?”

“Because I like you! And besides, what’s the point? With Luo Wang and Luo Cheng’s intelligence, do you really think they don’t already know your goal?”

Xiniang! Moved, Minmin was overwhelmed with emotion…

……

The third step was persuading Guo’er to cooperate in tonight’s plan.

Who knew he’d say the study was heavily guarded and he couldn’t get near it! Not only did he refuse to go, he forbade me from going too! Luckily, I had Plan B prepared!

Pretend to fall into the pond, get a leg cramp, sink under the water—then, the moment someone pulls me out, I slyly grab his neck, kiss him, and pass the drug under my tongue straight into him! Guo’er didn’t resist at all; his whole body just froze stiff! Hahahaha… (You’re probably the only person in the whole world who can laugh so happily while taking such advantage of someone.)

Then, with Qingqing’s help, we dragged the unconscious Guo’er into the room, tied him to the bed, and stripped him! Not for SM play—I just wanted to make sure he couldn’t leave the house… Of course, with such a fine beauty before me, it would’ve been a waste not to take a little advantage! While undressing him, I couldn’t help drooling at his flawless body, running my hands over him from head to toe…

Next, equipment setup:

A wide robe with tight night-clothes inside, for a quick getaway after the job.

Packets of knockout powder, anesthetic, and itching powder—perfect for bringing down Prince Luo.

A signal flare—if the mission fails, I can warn Qingqing to run.

A map of Luo Manor. (This idiot has no sense of direction.)

Over!

Farewell, Luo Manor! Though I haven’t eaten enough of your pine nuts…

Farewell, Luo Manor! Though I still have five episodes of Class 7 Bad Boys left to finish telling…

Farewell, Luo Manor! Though I never did manage to get the truth out of Xiniang during Truth or Dare about who her crush really is…

With a mournful face, I followed Butler Ren into the inner residence’s small palanquin, not noticing the gleeful look on his face as he waited to see a good show…

When we reached the study, Prince Luo wasn’t there yet. Butler Ren threw me inside and left.

A golden opportunity!!!

I didn’t hesitate for half a second before I started rummaging through everything!

The Order of the Weiyang Sect, the key to Fusang Tomb, the Huntian Pearl—just one of them would be enough for me to escape alive! I searched and searched—ah, the top shelf was out of reach!!

Damn it… Ugh! I stretched myself desperately on a stool, but still couldn’t reach—

“Which one can’t you reach?”

“The third one from the left on the top shelf! Why build it so high, damn it?!” I snapped in frustration.

“Oh~ the third one~” a chuckle.

Ah… Stiffly, I turned around, my hand sneaking toward the drug hidden at my waist…

Crack!

The stool’s leg was kicked out from under me!

I lost my balance like a falling immortal and tumbled down!

Luo Cheng caught me with a smile, his hand sliding across my chest as he tossed away several packets. They looked—very much like my drug powders, very much indeed… Cold sweat poured down me…

“Y-you—why are you here?!”

“What’s the matter? Would you rather see Prince Luo?”

“No, I don’t want to see either of you!”

“I thought your body wasn’t fully recovered yet, so I didn’t want to rush. But seeing you so lively now…” Luo Cheng’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Let’s make it tonight, then.”

“Tonight what? What tonight?! Ah! No! I don’t want to!!” I shook my head like a rattle drum. “I’m not well, my body hasn’t healed! Ah! My head hurts! My chest hurts too! Quick, send for a physician!”

“No need~ I’ll rub it better for you~”

“No, rubbing won’t help!”

“Then we’ll keep rubbing until it does~ Where did you say it hurts? Your chest?”

“N-no, it doesn’t hurt anymore! Not at all!”

“It doesn’t hurt?”

“Nope, not at all!”

“Good. Then let’s continue~”

Heavens! When did we end up on the bed?! Why is there a bed in the study anyway?!

No, no!! Don’t start! Luo Cheng, you liar! Didn’t you say if I didn’t want it, you wouldn’t force me?!

“Mmm~ back then, I wasn’t this obsessed with you yet~” He pinched my cheek like a lecherous wolf. “Who told you to be so tempting when you danced like a little kitten~”

“You… you…” I was on the verge of tears. I couldn’t hit him, couldn’t outrun him, wasn’t stronger than him. Pinned beneath this bastard, I couldn’t shove him off no matter how I struggled! My only weapon left was my voice, yelling at the top of my lungs:

“You liar! You break your word! You’re not a real man!”

“Mmm~ I’ve always been one to break promises and go back on my word~” He braced both hands on either side of me, trapping me in his arms, his chest suddenly burning hot as it pressed down, his thin lips exhaling gently against my neck.

“As for whether I’m a real man or not… you’ll find out soon enough~” His smile was dangerously wicked…

The drugs were gone, Qingqing had been sent out of the manor, Guo’er was unconscious and tied to a bed, and the whole household knew Prince Luo was supposed to visit me tonight—no one would come to interrupt! At this moment, I was truly helpless—neither Heaven nor Earth would save me!!

As Luo Cheng’s skilled hands unknowingly stripped away my first layer of clothing, a single line of bold words flashed through my panicked mind:

“You reap what you sow.”