The Bai family had been released, but Ye Luan remained confined within the Weirui Pavilion.
She behaved impeccably every day, often cooking in the small kitchen. Gradually, the number of hidden guards in the courtyard dwindled, and she was permitted to move around nearby.
Of course, this was with the company of numerous supervising wet nurses and maids.
Fearing she would be bored, Xiao Chizhan procured a Persian cat from somewhere. It was plump, with striking sapphire-blue eyes, exceptionally beautiful.
She named it "Snowball."
Recently, the weather grew increasingly cold. Ye Luan, holding Snowball, stood under the corridor. Her gaze drifted to the flower master who was transplanting plum blossoms in the courtyard.
He had learned of her fondness for plum blossoms from an unknown source and had dug up the crabapple tree in the courtyard, replanting flowers in its place.
"Miss, why are you only wearing so little?"
Fu Dai approached from behind, draping a red fox fur cloak over her shoulders.
Ye Luan came back to her senses and, with a light smile, wrapped herself in the fur robe. "Being confined here day in and day out, I can count the number of blue bricks on the ground."
Fu Dai's heart ached at the words.
"Miss, the guards are becoming less vigilant. Should we run?"
Upon hearing this, she frowned and whispered, "Never say such things again."
Numerous hidden guards were concealed around them. She had painstakingly managed to lower that obsessive man's guard. If this remark were to get out, she didn't know when she would ever escape this cage-like existence.
"Confine her. For life."
His possessive, cruel words seemed etched into her mind, refusing to fade.
Ye Luan shook her head erratically. Just as she was about to pick up Snowball and return to her room, she suddenly heard a gentle voice from behind.
"A'Luan."
Mu Rou's voice. Had she gone mad?
Ye Luan immediately turned around. Seeing two radiant figures standing in the corridor, her eyes quickly lit up.
"Mu Rou? Why are you in Youzhou?" After a pause, she stopped and asked with a smile, "And who is this?"
Beside Lan Mu Rou stood a charming young woman dressed in riding attire. A radiant smile graced her fair complexion. Upon seeing Ye Luan, her bright, expressive almond-shaped eyes flashed with a hint of astonishment.
"You are Ye Luan, aren't you?" Seeing her nod, the woman chuckled heartily. "I am Wei Qingge, the future fiancée of Liu Rongruo."
*Puchi.*
Lan Mu Rou covered her mouth and chuckled, quickly adding, "This is the biological granddaughter of the old General Wei."
Wei Qingge, a daughter of a noble military family, admired Liu Rongruo.
The information flashed through Ye Luan's mind. She smiled lightly, preparing to invite them in to sit.
"Weren't you in the capital?"
A flicker of loneliness crossed Lan Mu Rou's eyes. "I came with the general; we're going to the border."
"Oh, it's those petty Northerners from Qi causing trouble on the border. Tantai Ye has to go to the army, and we're passing through Youzhou, so we came to visit."
"His Highness said you were here, so he sent us to keep you company."
After a brief chat, Wei Qingge grew restless. Having spent years in military camps, she couldn't sit still.
She smiled, her almond eyes curving, "What's the point of sitting here? Let's go to the beast taming ground together; it's bound to be incredibly interesting."
To be honest, Ye Luan desperately wanted to go outside. She felt she was going mad from being confined here.
"Let's go."
Just as she was being helped up, Dong Shuang emerged, blocking Ye Luan's path.
"Miss, His Highness has ordered that you cannot leave."
Wei Qingge frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
Ye Luan lowered her gaze, remaining silent.
Lan Mu Rou keenly noticed the ankle shackles hidden beneath the embroidered skirt. Her heart stirred with shock, and recalling the unrest that had occurred in the capital, everything suddenly became clear.
"A'Luan."
Wei Qingge also noticed and, enraged, put her hands on her hips. "Why is this prince like that scoundrel Tantai Ye, only doing indecent things?"
"Don't curse; there are hidden guards."
Startled, she quickly covered her mouth.
If the Prince of Dingbei heard this, he would skin her alive. Even her father wouldn't be able to save her.
Wei Qingge stamped her foot in anger, her finger almost poking into Dong Shuang's eye. "You, yes, you! Go ask the prince if we can go out."
"Ah--"
"Hurry and go."
In the study.
Xiao Chizhan observed the battle situation on the sand table, a cold smile curving his lips. "Quzhou's He Yinan has reinforced by a hundred thousand troops. His movements are significant."
"Is he still in Youzhou?" Tantai Ye leaned back lazily against the chair, holding a cup of tea, his eyes closed in weariness.
"He is. He wants to cut off that shipment to Qingzhou Prefecture. Tell me, should I burn down his Beizhou Prefecture?"
His voice was chillingly slow, imbued with a strange excitement.
"That son of a bitch has almost no weaknesses, just like you— Bah! Just like you used to be, completely unassailable."
Hearing Tantai Ye's curse, Xiao Chizhan's crimson eyes glinted. "I heard the old Prince Liang was very dissatisfied with his son, the Crown Prince, and reported him to the Emperor."
"That lunatic chopped off Xie Nanchen's hands and feet. A prince of the realm, crippled like that, of course, he'd be impeached!"
As the two were speaking, a guard from Weiyun Xuan arrived to report that Wei Qingge wished to take Ye Luan out for a stroll.
Xiao Chizhan's expression turned chillingly grim, his half-lowered eyes betraying no discernible emotion.
Tantai Ye narrowed his eyes, raising an eyebrow. "She's been confined for so long; I doubt she'd dare to run. Let her go out for a walk to prevent her from resenting you."
"Resent me?" Xiao Chizhan touched the twin rings on his hand, a strange expression flashing across his demonic face.
Tantai Ye burst into laughter. "Understand?"
"No." Xiao Chizhan looked at him coldly. "Why would she resent me?"
"Tsk." Tantai Ye laughed even more unrestrainedly. "I suspect heaven didn't bestow you with love threads."
Seeing his displeasure, he directly stated, "As long as she has a weakness, she won't dare to run. While the Bai family is in the capital, she won't dare to leave of her own accord and anger you."
"Besides, you can't possibly keep her confined forever."
The man's cold voice echoed, "Why not? I intend to confine her for life."
Unseen by anyone, with nowhere to flee, she could only belong to him.
He detested others glimpsing her.
"I thought you were just saying that. You really plan to confine her for life? Wouldn't she go mad?" After a pause, Tantai Ye crossed his legs, his narrow eyes squinting slightly. "Did you make her take the love flower?"
"She refused to drink it."
"Heh, you didn't sneak it in? You're too soft-hearted."
Xiao Chizhan narrowed his eyes, displeased. "If she doesn't want to drink it, then so be it."
As long as she obediently stayed by his side, whether she drank it or not would change nothing.
"Fine, indulge her then."
Tantai Ye snorted, leaped up with one foot, and sat on the sand table, observing the battle situation.
Those outside were still waiting.
Xiao Chizhan was about to forbid it, but his mind was filled with her solitary figure sitting beneath the tree.
Those cold, bloodthirsty eyes narrowed involuntarily. He tapped his fingers on the desk, his knuckles bony.
"Long San."
"Your subordinate is here." A shadow materialized abruptly.
Xiao Chizhan said chillingly, "Send hidden guards to follow her. If she runs, or if anything happens, you know the consequences."
"Yes."