Kill You Love You – Zhu Lilan, Li Ruotian

Dongfang Jing still remembered his father's dying wish, instructing him that as the ruler, he must protect the people of his realm. He was to retrieve the imperial seal ten years later and inherit the throne. Dongfang Jing watched his father, dressed in armor, gallantly go to his death, feeling immense sorrow. Now, ten years had passed. Dongfang Jing had grown from a child into a young man. He had already established contact with the Si Fang Hui and was preparing to carry out secret actions to fulfill his father's last desire.

At the Guihua Tower in Luoyi City, Su Xianling, the eldest sister of Si Fang Hui, received news that the movements of her junior apprentices in Si Fang Hui had been detected. They were currently surrounded. Immediately, she went into the Guihua Tower to communicate and request that they hand over the documents to her. While her junior apprentices hesitated, powerful enemies attacked. One of them sacrificed his life to protect Su Xianling from a barrage of arrows. Seeing another junior apprentice in danger, Su Xianling disregarded her own safety and rushed to the rescue.

Dongfang Jing learned that Si Fang Hui's operation had encountered complications. He decided to help, but Eunuch Gao was keeping a close watch on him, making it difficult. He had no choice but to have Qin Yu perform a "Mandarin Duck" play to deceive Eunuch Gao. Eunuch Gao believed Dongfang Jing to be a superficial and foolish person, and he looked down on him.

When Su Xianling got hold of the documents, the situation was already dire. The documents were protection orders, but the sheet containing the details was blown away by the wind. Su Xianling mistakenly thought they were assassination orders, and the target was the City Lord of Luoyi City. Dongfang Jing, wearing a veil, hurried to rescue Su Xianling. She was captivated by Dongfang Jing's demeanor and wanted to know who he was, but the enemies caught up, depriving her of the chance to ask.

Early in the morning, Eunuch Gao, under the orders of the Empress Dowager, came carrying ginseng soup to remind Dongfang Jing. He advised him to go to the main hall early, but when the door opened, it was Qin Yu who appeared. Just as Eunuch Gao was about to forcefully enter, Dongfang Jing emerged looking visibly sleep-deprived. Eunuch Gao then had Dongfang Jing consume the hot ginseng soup, ostensibly showing concern for his well-being due to his sleeplessness, but in reality, he wanted Dongfang Jing to perish in the main hall.

The dancers performing this time were from the Western Regions. Before they could take the stage, an assassin hidden among them killed one of the actual dancers and took their place inside a cabinet. Su Xianling arrived and upon seeing the innocent person lying on the ground, she secretly criticized the person responsible for this act as unworthy of being an assassin. They lacked even the most basic professional ethics. She immediately opened the cabinet, catching the hidden assassin off guard with a strike that incapacitated them. Su Xianling then changed into dance attire and took the stage.

Today was Dongfang Jing's birthday. He was well aware that the day might bring more misfortune than good luck, so he was prepared. Unexpectedly, the Western Regions dancer took the stage, and conflicts arose among their own people. Su Xianling disdainfully seized the opportunity to replace another person's weapon with a deadly one, then took a prominent position, leading Dongfang Jing into the cabinet. Dongfang Jing recognized Su Xianling as a member of the Si Fang Hui who had tried to kill him. It was he who had saved her that day, but now she appeared here, threatening to take his life. Taking advantage of the lack of witnesses within the cabinet, Dongfang Jing resisted Su Xianling. He managed to poison her using a needle concealed in his mouth. In order to save her, he claimed that he would summon her to his chambers that night and took her back to the palace.

Dongfang Jing realized that the assassin hadn't managed to kill him in the main hall today. He was afraid they might now try to find the imperial seal first. To divert attention, he acted recklessly and provoked a fight with the guards at the entrance. Seizing the opportunity, he discreetly instructed Qin Yu to sneak out of the palace and search for clues about the imperial seal. The reason for their sword fight just now was to mask their conversation.

Eunuch Gao suddenly arrived with ginseng soup. As soon as he entered, he saw Dongfang Jing embracing Su Xianling. When Dongfang Jing attempted to get intimate with her, Su Xianling secretly used her strength to pinch his soft flesh, almost causing him to break character. Eunuch Gao presented the ginseng soup, and Su Xianling quickly discerned that it was poisoned. Leveraging her position as Dongfang Jing's new concubine, she took over the task of feeding him the soup. She secretly informed Dongfang Jing that the soup was deadly, and then pretended to accidentally spill it.

Eunuch Gao returned to report to the Empress Dowager and was scolded. She was displeased that today, not only did he fail to kill Dongfang Jing in the hall, but he also couldn't make him consume the poisoned soup. The Empress Dowager regarded Eunuch Gao as worthless. Su Xianling, now affected by her own poison, fainted and, before losing consciousness, couldn't help but mock herself for getting into such a situation as an assassin. She resolved to keep this embarrassing incident hidden from her fellow assassins to avoid being ridiculed. In an attempt to save Su Xianling, Dongfang Jing risked his own life by testing the antidote. Eventually, he succeeded in creating a cure, and when Su Xianling learned of his efforts, she was deeply grateful. Dongfang Jing asked Su Xianling for assistance in helping him escape the city and reach the Si Fang Hui.

Su Xianling laughed continuously in her dreams, her carefree demeanor making Dongfang Jing wonder how she became an assassin. It turned out that Su Xianling dreamt of avenging her two junior disciples and becoming the top assassin of the Si Fang Hui. In her dream, her master passed on the position of leader to her. Dongfang Jing lay beside Su Xianling as they slept. When Su Xianling opened her eyes, she saw his face and immediately screamed, sitting up in alarm. She questioned Dongfang Jing about what he had done to her and slapped him, causing him to faint and cough up blood.

At the Si Fang Hui, the master learned that Tian Gou had taken such an important assignment without informing them and had sent two junior disciples to handle it. Both of them ended up dead, and Su Xianling was trapped in the Luoyi Residence. This infuriated the master. Tian Gou offered a plan to the master, suggesting they infiltrate the Luoyi Residence to rescue Su Xianling. However, no one wanted to take on the task, so they elected Tian Gou.

Watching Dongfang Jing on the brink of death in the bed, Su Xianling truly wondered if he might not survive. Just then, Eunuch Gao came to summon Su Xianling, asking her to meet with the Empress Dowager. Su Xianling felt unfamiliar with the situation and didn't want to go, but Dongfang Jing held her hand and urged her to be careful. Su Xianling realized she had no choice but to go. Once she arrived at the Empress Dowager's presence, when no one was paying attention, she tested the tea to see if it was poisoned. The Empress Dowager praised Su Xianling for her wit and instructed her to take Dongfang Jing out for a few days and then report back.

Su Xianling was pressed by the Empress Dowager and didn't know how to answer. Sensing this, Dongfang Jing quickly sent someone to fetch Dongfang Yi. With Dongfang Yi's involvement, the Empress Dowager not only agreed to let Dongfang Yi take Dongfang Jing out of the palace to play, but also refrained from further questioning Su Xianling's identity. Dongfang Yi wanted to know what was fun outside the palace, so he pestered Su Xianling for information. Upon learning that Su Xianling was only thinking about Dongfang Jing, he believed her previous statement about not wanting to become his sister-in-law was false. Su Xianling didn't appreciate this and directly stated that she had feelings for someone else, and that person was not Dongfang Jing.

Back in Dongfang Jing's palace, Su Xianling informed him that the arrangements for his exit from the palace had been made, but he needed to recover his health first. Otherwise, if the poison flared up, he wouldn't be able to leave. Suddenly, Eunuch Gao arrived with ginseng soup. To maintain his image of debauchery, Dongfang Jing immediately pinned Su Xianling down and began doing push-ups. Eunuch Gao watched the shadowy scene through the window, believing Dongfang Jing was engaging in debauchery again, when in reality, Dongfang Jing and Su Xianling's clothing remained intact. After Eunuch Gao left, Dongfang Jing explained to Su Xianling that it was a makeshift solution due to the urgency of the situation. Although Su Xianling understood, she was still somewhat upset and quickly left.

Alone in the palace, Su Xianling wandered aimlessly and saw Eunuch Gao leading people towards Dongfang Jing's palace. Worried for his safety, she hurried back only to stumble upon Dongfang Jing using the opportunity to extract poison while bathing. Dongfang Jing reminded Su Xianling to protect herself in the Luoyi Residence and advised her not to let her emotions get the better of her. However, Su Xianling noticed similarities between Dongfang Jing and the person who had captured her attention on the day they first met.

Dongfang Jing, Su Xianling, and Dongfang Yi left the palace together. The three of them seemed a bit unusual. Once Dongfang Yi confirmed that he wasn't a third wheel, he felt relieved. Upon arriving at the inn, the innkeeper directly praised Su Xianling and Dongfang Jing's pairing, while describing Dongfang Yi as an extraordinary servant. This irritated Dongfang Yi, but seeing that Dongfang Jing and Su Xianling were displeased, he quickly left. Su Xianling drew her sword and held it to Dongfang Jing's neck, but she couldn't bring herself to kill him. She had no choice but to leave, while making it clear that she wouldn't take Dongfang Jing to the Si Fang Hui.

Tian Gou sneaked into the Luoyi Residence from a dried-up well, disguised as a eunuch, to gather information. He overheard Eunuch Gao ordering someone to assassinate Dongfang Jing and Su Xianling. Panicking, he hurriedly made his way back, and finally found Su Xianling at the inn's entrance. He tried to persuade her to return home with him, but Su Xianling thought Tian Gou was there to compete with her and didn't reveal Dongfang Jing's whereabouts. Unexpectedly, she found out that the assignment was a protection order, prompting her to turn back and find Dongfang Jing. However, her appearance led the innkeeper to commit suicide, successfully erasing their trail.

Tian Gou, aware that someone was coming to kill Dongfang Jing, quickly led them toward the Si Fang Hui. On the way, they passed through a bamboo forest filled with miasma. While Tian Gou and Su Xianling were unaffected, Dongfang Jing and Dongfang Yi couldn't bear it. When Tian Gou turned away, he pulled out two pieces of cloth from nowhere, and they could only hold their breath and cover their noses and mouths. Finally, they managed to cross the bamboo forest and reach the Si Fang Hui. However, the assassins chasing them were trapped and running in circles within the mist.

Su Xianling brought Dongfang Jing back to the Si Fang Hui. As she heard her junior disciples congratulating her on the success of the protection order, she was about to boast about becoming the future top female assassin in the Si Fang Hui. However, just as the words were about to leave her mouth, their master appeared, and Su Xianling quickly refrained from speaking recklessly.

Dongfang Jing is the true master of the Si Fang Hui. Their master sent Tian Gou to accompany Dongfang Yi around and dismissed Su Xianling. Turning to Dongfang Jing, the master apologized. Su Xianling eavesdropped by the window and learned that the Si Fang Hui used to be the Piaoqi Army ten years ago. Dongfang Jing had come this time to search for the imperial seal. Qin Yu was already prepared for action, but Dongfang Jing's health was a concern. The master advised him to prioritize his health and mentioned that Su Xianling, who had been adopted by the master since childhood, had shown disrespectful behavior. However, Dongfang Jing straightforwardly defended Su Xianling.

Suddenly, Dongfang Yi turned around and saw Su Xianling curiously eavesdropping. She directly twisted his arm, causing him to cry out in surprise. This was how Dongfang Jing learned that Su Xianling had been listening in. Someone skilled in medical arts within the Si Fang Hui specially prepared medicine for Dongfang Jing. When Su Xianling went to deliver the medicine, Dongfang Yi sarcastically mentioned that he was also injured and asked her to feed him the medicine. Su Xianling handed him the medicine directly and warned him that taking the wrong medicine could be poisonous, leaving Dongfang Yi startled and covering his mouth in a hurry.

One day, Dongfang Jing, Su Xianling, and Dongfang Yi went for a walk in a bamboo forest. Dongfang Jing accidentally fell into a well. Su Xianling and Dongfang Yi rushed to rescue him, but when Dongfang Jing was pulled out, Dongfang Yi fell in. Su Xianling shared a deep, affectionate gaze with Dongfang Jing, who was leaning against the well wall.

To secure the protection order, Su Xianling had to stay close to Dongfang Jing, sharing meals and accommodations. She gazed at Dongfang Jing with intense eyes and began recounting an incident where someone had saved her from danger and resembled Dongfang Jing's gaze. Dongfang Jing knew that person was him but didn't dare admit it. He merely cautioned Su Xianling not to look at him that way, as he wouldn't be able to sleep if she continued.

Su Xianling envied that Dongfang Jing had at least had his mother by his side, while she didn't even know if her mother was alive. Thinking about this, she couldn't sleep and got up to read the message brought by a carrier pigeon. She learned that the antidote for the poison was in the possession of Qianli Feisha, and she decided to retrieve it for Dongfang Jing.

The next day, Su Xianling put a sedative in a cup, intending to make Dongfang Jing sleep for a day while she fetched the antidote. However, Dongfang Jing had already sensed her plan and swapped the cups, causing Su Xianling to fall asleep instead. Su Xianling had believed that Dongfang Jing was already asleep and had made a promise to him: "He protects the world, and I protect him." Before leaving, Dongfang Jing stood before the sleeping Su Xianling and stated that if he were living solely for himself, he would choose her. However, he carried the burden of the country and couldn't act according to his own desires.

Dongfang Jing resumed his position as the City Lord of Luoyi City. Learning about the antidote's location with Qianli Feisha, he decided to meet them in person. Qin Yu was concerned about his injuries and the risk of exposing his identity, but Dongfang Jing insisted on going himself.

Su Xianling woke up from the bed, recalling the wine she had consumed and realizing something was wrong. She couldn't help but worry about Dongfang Jing's safety. She immediately decided to leave Si Fang Hui to search for him. Dongfang Yi insisted on following her, but Su Xianling was unwilling to take him along. Amidst the argument, the two of them fell into a dry well.

From Dongfang Yi, Su Xianling learned about the multifaceted nature of Dongfang Jing. She felt that Dongfang Jing was living a burdensome life and hoped he could simplify things. However, in the city of Luo Yi, besides Su Xianling, no one could live a simple life.

Tian Gou came out searching for Su Xianling and heard the cries for help from the well. He quickly pulled Su Xianling out. Dongfang Yi knew that Su Xianling wouldn't save him, so he forcefully pulled the rope, accidentally pulling Tian Gou into the well. Su Xianling left without helping either of them, leaving Tian Gou frustrated and shouting in despair.

Facing Qianli Feisha, Dongfang Jing talked about how their father had requested the Beiqi Army to preserve their strength before he passed away ten years ago, in preparation to regain military might after a decade. Back then, a group of the Beiqi Army defected to Nanjiang, only to later return as spies. The leader of this group was Qianli Feisha. The crucial information about Guihua Tower was provided by him. While people in Beiluo looked down on him, he was actually a loyal subject. This time, Qianli Feisha handed over the jade seal box to Dongfang Jing, indicating that someone was secretly obstructing the peace talks between Nanjiang and Beiluo.

Su Xianling arrived at this location and clashed with two individuals at the entrance. The sounds of the struggle alerted Qianli Feisha and Dongfang Jing. Despite his injuries, Dongfang Jing spat out blood and Qianli Feisha volunteered to hold the line, urging Dongfang Jing to leave immediately. Su Xianling, dressed in red, departed. Dongfang Jing rushed into the courtyard, only to find many casualties. The sword technique used seemed to belong to Su Xianling, causing his heart to sink.

Dongfang Jing found Qianli Feisha, who was barely alive. From his words, Dongfang Jing learned that Su Xianling had arrived before the assassins. Qianli Feisha recognized her as a member of the Fengming Clan from the poison needles she used. He informed her that the assassins were on their way and, realizing she came for the Venomous Orchid, he revealed its location and urged her to leave, not to get involved in the upcoming conflict. However, Su Xianling risked her life to save him, which deeply moved Qianli Feisha.

Watching Qianli Feisha take his last breath, Dongfang Jing immediately split up with Qin Yu to find Su Xianling. Eventually, he found her barely conscious under a wall. After she handed him the Venomous Orchid and fainted, he felt immense pain and managed to lift her for a few steps before both collapsed in the middle of the road.

Dongfang Jing woke up from a nightmare and immediately asked about Su Xianling's whereabouts. Learning that the remaining poison had indeed left his body after consuming the Venomous Orchid, he became even more worried about Su Xianling. Fortunately, Su Xianling had recovered well and had already left Si Fang Hui for a stroll. Qin Yu sent a message urging Dongfang Jing to meet Su Xianling at Guihua Tower. When Dongfang Jing arrived at the tower, he was out of breath. Su Xianling intentionally asked him why he was panting and jokingly mentioned that she had found her beloved, implying that they couldn't travel together with the owner of Guihua Tower anymore. At that moment, someone came looking for Dongfang Jing. He hurriedly hid Su Xianling in a cabinet. The person who came to find Dongfang Jing addressed him as "Your Majesty," confirming Su Xianling's suspicions that both Dongfang Jing and the owner of Guihua Tower were one and the same person.