"Mmm~"
In her daze, Wei Qingge felt the familiar masculine presence all around her. She wriggled her waist, struggling.
A soft, slippery white bundle squirmed in his embrace.
The corners of Li Qiongyu's eyes were tinged with red.
He shed his clothes and held her in his arms, skin against skin, kissing her with almost obsessive devotion.
But sensing she was about to wake, he quickly stopped, burying himself in the crook of her neck to quell his lust.
A moment later, he couldn't resist. His slender fingers lifted her chin, captured her lips, pried them open, and delved in, their mouths entwining.
With soft, fragrant jade in his arms, no matter how much he tried to restrain himself, he couldn't suppress the restless stirring within him.
Wei Qingge sensed something was amiss, but her mind was hazy. She wanted to wake up, but couldn't. Her eyelids simply wouldn't open.
She kicked her legs and frowned, "So sleepy, stop messing around."
Li Qiongyu heard her mumble, his hand paused slightly. He stopped moving, holding her in his arms, and closed his eyes.
After waiting for so many years, there was no rush for this one moment.
----
Li Qiongyu was no longer young. The Marquis of Xuanping had been worried about him marrying for over half a year, but this rebellious son had been reluctant to tie the knot.
Now, he suddenly announced he wanted to marry the youngest daughter of Old General Wei, which made his father ecstatic.
A tiger's daughter, born to a military family, would surely be able to subdue his unfilial son.
Therefore, as soon as he received the news, he hurried to the Wei residence to propose.
Although Old General Wei was displeased that Li Qiongyu, a mere Marquis, had been doing business abroad for years, he couldn't resist his granddaughter's pleas.
Thinking she was not getting any younger, and that the inner court of the Marquis of Xuanping's manor was peaceful, and the two families had a good relationship, she wouldn't be bullied after marriage. He readily agreed.
The two families moved quickly, exchanged horoscopes, completed the betrothal gifts, and soon selected an auspicious date.
After the engagement, Wei Qingge could no longer go out as she pleased. She was forcefully confined to her manor to embroider her wedding dress, and also to embroider items like sachets and forehead cloths for her future husband's family.
However, having spent most of her life at the border, her needlework was not good to begin with, and she was impatient with such tasks. She was always practicing swordplay in the courtyard, which led to her being severely reprimanded by Old General Wei upon discovery.
The manor even specially hired people to teach her.
Wei Qingge was so depressed by being confined that she secretly wrote a letter to Ye Luan.
When Ye Luan received the letter, she had just returned from Tingyu Pavilion. Seeing the lengthy complaints on the Xuan paper, she let out a soft laugh.
"Fu Dai."
"Miss, what is it?"
"Have someone go to the Wei residence and say that I'd like to invite Qingge over for tea."
Fu Dai nodded, "Yes."
After everyone had left, Ye Luan thought of the scene at Tingyu Pavilion that day. She changed her clothes and went directly to the Prince's manor.
Xiao Chizhan had been very busy lately. Tantai Ye wasn't involved in state affairs, and there were frequent memorials to the court regarding the battle in Southern Xinjiang. The military situation in Lingnan was urgent, and he had practically been living in the palace.
Therefore, when Ye Luan came to find him, he was still in the palace's military office, discussing matters with ministers.
Xue Ren, upon seeing Ye Luan, quickly stepped forward, "Miss."
"Where is the Prince?"
"He's in the palace. I'll send someone to find the Prince."
Ye Luan quickly said, "No need, I'll wait."
"By the way, Xue Ren, the matter of Yanzhou that I mentioned to you earlier, have you investigated it?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Ren's expression changed, and he quickly lowered his head.
Ye Luan narrowed her eyes slightly, a plan forming in her mind.
She smiled and patted Xue Ren's shoulder, startling him into bowing and stepping back.
"Regarding Miss Wei's kidnapping in Yanzhou, the Dragon Scale Guards investigated. It was people from the martial arts world, and they have been eliminated."
Ye Luan withdrew her hand and chuckled, "Oh."
Xue Ren lowered his head sheepishly, not daring to say more.
Miss Ye's smiling yet unfathomable expression showed that she didn't believe him. If he said anything more, he feared he would be trapped.
Ye Luan didn't make things difficult for him and went to the study to wait for Xiao Chizhan.
She was just curious, especially after hearing that Qingge and Li Qiongyu were getting married so soon, she was even more curious.
If her guess was correct, Tingyu Pavilion was Li Qiongyu's intelligence gathering place, and the Yanzhou incident was also orchestrated by Li Qiongyu.
After she had developed suspicions that day, she recalled the events carefully. The day after Qingge was kidnapped in Yanzhou, Li Qiongyu waited for them downstairs at the inn, with obvious red marks on his neck.
In the Jiangzhou boat cabin, Li Qiongyu's lips also looked like they had been bitten by a woman.
Coincidentally, Qingge was present on both occasions.
She had heard that for many years, Li Qiongyu had no women around him and always liked to bicker with Qingge. Those two times couldn't have been him indulging with men.
Therefore, it was very likely that Qingge had been drugged by him and had bitten him unconsciously.
Moreover, Li Qiongyu and Qingge had been friends for many years; he wouldn't stand by and watch Qingge be bullied. The fact that the culprit couldn't be found in Yanzhou was too abnormal.
There was only one possibility: that person was himself!
Good heavens, a two-faced man!
Ye Luan sat on the chair by the desk and couldn't help but shiver.
She really couldn't believe that Li Qiongyu could be so deceptive.
However, these were all her speculations; she still needed to pry some information from Xiao Chizhan to verify them.
As the thought crossed her mind, footsteps sounded from outside.
She looked up and saw a man in a python robe striding in.
"Luan Luan."
Ye Luan's eyes curved, and she got up, walking towards him.
"Why are you back so soon?"
Xiao Chizhan reached out, encircling her waist, and pulled her into his embrace.
"It's the first time you've actively come to find me."
"---"
Ye Luan gave him a playful glare and pulled him towards the desk.
Xiao Chizhan directly hugged her waist, lifted her horizontally, and sat down on the chair.
He lowered his head, hooking her chin, about to kiss her.
Ye Luan quickly dodged. Seeing him narrow his eyes with displeasure, she smiled, "I have something to ask you."
"Mm?"
He stroked her waist, leaning back lazily, his red lips slightly curved.
Ye Luan knew he had guessed her thoughts again from his gaze, and pouted.
"You had Xue Ren trick me."
Xiao Chizhan smiled, "If I really wanted to trick you, would you still be here trying to test me?!"
"---"
Ye Luan annoyedly punched his shoulder, "The Yanzhou matter was done by Li Qiongyu."
Xiao Chizhan looked down at her, not responding.
But this clearly meant tacit consent.
Ye Luan gritted her teeth, "I can't believe it. He's been longing for her for so long that he'd resort to kidnapping, and still act so proper."
Xiao Chizhan raised an eyebrow, remaining silent.
Ye Luan glared at him resentfully, "I've realized, not a single one of you four is a good person."
"---"
"Luan Luan."
He lowered his head, his slightly cool lips kissing and licking her earlobe.
Ye Luan pushed him away impatiently, but he held her tightly, and she couldn't break free.
"He's been longing for years, don't go and undermine him."
Ye Luan snorted coldly, her heart slightly troubled. Curiosity truly killed the cat; if she hadn't been so nosy, she wouldn't be so anxious now.
"Get up for me."
Xiao Chizhan didn't move, tightening his grip on her waist, kissing her lips fiercely and intensely.
His body temperature was cool, but as they tangled, it transmitted through the thin fabric, carrying a hint of warmth.
Her hands unconsciously climbed onto his firm shoulders, her breath coming in gasps.
"Help me untie it."