Ye Luan started in surprise, quickly wrapping her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
"Returning to the manor."
She absolutely refused to go to the prince's manor.
Ye Luan struggled, "I need to return to the Ye manor."
Xiao Chi Zhan raised an eyebrow, took a turn, and carried her into a private room in the wine house.
"Then stay at an inn. If you don't behave, I'll break your legs."
This madman, resorting to force again.
Ye Luan shot him a glare. "I need to bathe."
The wine house was simple, lacking a bathing pool, so one had to bathe in a tub.
The night was long, and she didn't want to face that lunatic. The water grew cold, but she still refused to come out.
Outside the screen, Xiao Chi Zhan had already finished bathing. He casually put on a clean robe, fiddled with his prayer beads, and sat on a pear wood chair, waiting quietly.
Just then, there was a knock on the door in the outer room.
Ye Luan heard Xiao Chi Zhan leave and breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly put on her clothes, faintly catching words like "Duke" and "Bai Manor."
Her heart skipped a beat, and she stealthily crouched behind the door to listen.
"Hmph, that old scoundrel, he's certainly bold. With all the docks sealed, he can't escape."
"Yes, Your Highness. The general just received news of that person and has gone to search, but you still need to go yourself."
Xiao Chi Zhan's sinister and venomous voice reached her ears.
"They still haven't caught the person? A bunch of useless fools. His trip to Daliang must be because of Xie Nan Chen's foolishness. Capture him and tear him to shreds!"
Listening to the voices outside, Ye Luan suddenly remembered that time in the imperial palace when she and Xiao Chi Zhan encountered a man in the hunting grounds.
Could it be that Xiao Chi Zhan still hadn't caught that person?
The Bai family was colluding with the Fourth Prince of Northern Qi, Xie Nan Chen. It seemed that man must be from Northern Qi, and likely held a high position.
The voices outside stopped.
Ye Luan quickly hid behind again.
"Why are you hiding?" Xiao Chi Zhan walked in.
It was true; his internal energy was profound, and he had probably already discovered her eavesdropping.
Ye Luan cleared her throat and was about to speak when he grabbed her chin and kissed her fiercely, their lips and tongues entwining.
The crisp, male scent enveloped her, binding her, making her legs go weak. She could only cling to him.
When the kiss ended, his deep, husky voice sounded.
"Stay here and wait for me."
Ye Luan's red lips were kissed to a delicate and alluring hue. She said, "If you're leaving, I'm returning to the Ye manor first."
Xiao Chi Zhan pinched her nose, his voice cold. "I told you to wait here, so wait. If you dare to run, I'll break your legs."
With that, he strode away.
After a night of tossing and turning, Ye Luan was also tired. Sensing someone was guarding her, she frowned, resignedly got onto the bed, and fell asleep shortly after.
The next day, at the hour of Mao, sunlight streamed through the window. Ye Luan slowly woke up.
She casually reached for the spot beside her; it was icy cold.
Had this guy not returned all night?
She got out of bed, washed up, and ate breakfast, but he still hadn't returned.
"Long Tian."
"Your subordinate is here."
A dark shadow suddenly flashed in, startling her.
Were all these hidden guards so elusive?
Ye Luan wiped her mouth and smiled. "Can I go now?"
"His Highness has ordered this subordinate to escort you back to the manor."
"Which manor?"
Long Tian replied, "The Ye manor."
"Alright."
After returning to the Ye manor, Ye Luan inventoried her belongings and took out a map of Daliang, drawing for a long time, slowly sketching an escape route in her mind.
Hmm.
She suddenly remembered something.
Earlier, in the imperial palace, she had discovered people from Northern Qi. Xiao Chi Zhan had been furious and ordered people to the border to take Lu Yuan's head.
Therefore, the Lu family should have been alerted long ago. Last night, during the Qiqiao Festival, the Lu family must have had some dealings with Xie Nan Chen. Xiao Chi Zhan had gone to capture them.
Indeed, the Lu family had colluded with the enemy and committed treason. Once the crime was proven, the entire family would be executed.
Once the arrow is loosed from the bow, there's no turning back. The moment she embarked on this path, there was no way back.
The Lu family's century-old foundation, coupled with their military power, meant that if Xiao Chi Zhan wanted to annihilate the Lu family, there would surely be great chaos in the capital.
He would definitely be too preoccupied to bother with her. That would be the best opportunity for her to escape amidst the chaos.
The Zhen Guo Duke's manor!
Ye Luan lightly tapped the table, and in her mind, she couldn't help but think of that man, as clean as a cypress tree. What role did he play here?
Was he really breaking off the engagement just to prevent her from stepping into the Lu family's turmoil?
"Miss, a letter from Young Master Lu."
Suddenly, Fu Dai walked in.
Ye Luan took the letter and opened it. Her eyes brightened slightly. This person, as clear as a snow-covered cypress, wrote with unrestrained passion, his calligraphy like mountains and rivers, his ink riding the wind.
"Miss, I heard the treasury was robbed."
"Oh?"
Fu Dai looked at Ye Luan's casual demeanor and couldn't help but ask, "Did you do it, Miss?"
"I did."
Ye Luan frankly admitted it.
"After we leave, we won't be able to show our faces for some time, and without money, we can't go anywhere."
Taking the Ye manor's money was no harm, no foul.
Fu Dai looked at the young lady before her and opened her mouth in astonishment.
She felt that Miss was different from before, as if she were a completely different person. Perhaps it was because she had been tortured so cruelly in the prince's manor, her mind had become clearer.
In any case, she liked the current Miss.
"I'm going out."
"Miss is going to meet with Young Master Lu."
Ye Luan changed into a simple dress and nodded.
"Oh, right. Have Fang Momo get some men's clothing made at the shops outside."
"Yes."
After leaving the manor, Ye Luan took a carriage alone to a temple in the suburbs.
Behind the temple, there was a wishing well, and by the well stood ancient trees adorned with red silk ribbons.
As Ye Luan climbed over, she saw a man in green sitting in a wheelchair under the ancient tree, his back straight, gazing silently at the cliffs.
His aura was as cool and thin as water, and his pair of dark eyes were as lifeless as the water in a lake, without a ripple.
"A'Luan has arrived."
Upon hearing footsteps, Lu Fei Bai's pale lips curved into a smile as he turned to look at her.
Ye Luan smiled faintly. "I'm sorry, I'm late."
"It's alright."
The August wind in the northern regions was already desolate and bleak, as cold as a knife's edge.
Ye Luan saw his pale complexion and said, "I came from over there and saw quite a few flowers, very beautiful. Shall we go take a look together?"
The wind on this side was too piercing.
Lu Fei Bai coughed increasingly severely. He nodded faintly, "Mmm."
The two walked down the mountain along the bluestone steps. On both sides of the mountain gullies, dense forests were planted with autumn begonias, their colors vibrant and delicate.
Lu Fei Bai tugged at the corner of his mouth. "It's a pity that at this time of year, one can't see vast fields of sunflowers."
"Does Young Master like sunflowers?"
"As a child, I was playful and, despite my weak body, I came here once to see them. They were truly dazzling, growing towards the sun, reaching for the sun. It's a pity I'll never see them again."
Just as Ye Luan was about to say something, Lu Fei Bai suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. A large pool of blood fell onto the handkerchief, a stark and terrifying red.
"Young Master!"
Lu Fei Bai covered his mouth, his face flushed red from coughing. Blood seeped between his fingers, splattering onto Ye Luan's skirt.
Before she could say anything, he suddenly fainted.