"Heh." Xie Beihan suddenly laughed heartily, "Just yesterday you were asking this Prince to kill Xiao Chi Zhan. Little girl, your scheming is quite sharp."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chi Zhan's face remained expressionless, but the ferocity in his eyes became even more terrifying.
He knew she was just this cunning, this ruthless, wanting to see them both suffer.
Did she think she could be with Lu Fei Bai?
Dream on!
She belonged to him, and him alone.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, please do not speak nonsense. I have never said such a thing." Ye Luan sneered, 'On the contrary, Your Highness the Crown Prince is quite cunning, sowing discord like this.'
Yes.
She did intend to use Xiao Chi Zhan to restrain Xie Beihan. She feared Xie Beihan might secretly seek her out and take her back to Northern Qi.
She needed to leverage Xiao Chi Zhan's influence to counterbalance him.
To be honest, after jumping off the city wall, Xiao Chi Zhan's promises had already achieved her objective. But now that Xie Beihan had arrived, why wouldn't she seize the opportunity to shake off Xiao Chi Zhan completely!
She could not forget the humiliation she had endured in the past.
She could not forget his indifferent attitude when she lost the child.
She could not forget being imprisoned, being tortured, and barely surviving under his control.
If she could finally leave, that would be the best outcome.
"A cunning little fox, spewing poisonous words that twist black into white."
Xie Beihan let out a cold laugh and slowly mounted his horse.
Ye Luan ignored him, her gaze fixed on Xiao Chi Zhan, who remained silent, his bewitching face unreadable.
She tightened her grip on the knife, blood trickling down, the pain instantly turning her face pale.
Xiao Chi Zhan watched her actions, a mocking smile curving his thin lips.
Ruthless!
This woman was always this ruthless!
Ruthless towards herself, and even more so towards him!
"No matter what this Prince does, you will still leave?"
Ye Luan replied coldly, "Yes, let me go!"
Such a resolute demeanor, the blood seeping from her chest, the suppressed rage within him seemed to want to tear him apart, to consume him entirely.
What if she left?!
If he, Xiao Chi Zhan, wanted to find her, where could she possibly escape?
"This Prince promises you. Put down the knife first."
"I don't believe Your Highness's words. Do not follow me."
Ye Luan held the knife firmly against her chest, slowly backing away on her horse.
Xie Beihan watched her movements, then gave a cold laugh. A hidden weapon in his hand, carrying the fierce chill of wind and rain, shot out like an arrow from a bow.
Xiao Chi Zhan instantly sensed it but made no move.
With a clang, the knife in Ye Luan's hand was forced back.
Her wrist went numb.
Clutching the pain in her chest, she slightly hunched over.
"Ye Luan."
After days of arduous travel and prolonged exposure to the rain, Ye Luan's head began to spin, her vision blurring.
Suddenly, her vision went black, and she could no longer support herself, tumbling headfirst from her horse.
The moment she fainted, Ye Luan couldn't help but roll her eyes towards the sky.
Xiao Chi Zhan immediately leaped forward, smoothly catching the falling maiden.
Rainwater had soaked her cheeks, her delicate features fair and radiant, like peach blossoms in spring. Her indifferent, fierce fox-like eyes were slightly closed, making her appear exceptionally docile.
Looking at the wound on her chest, his bloodthirsty gaze grew even darker.
He reached out, gently caressing her cheek, his voice filled with possessive ferocity.
"Luan Luan, once this Prince has set his heart on someone, he will never let go in this lifetime."
At that moment, Xie Beihan's charging figure was directly intercepted by Li Qiong Yu.
A blade was placed against his neck, gleaming coldly.
Xie Beihan's sinister eyes flashed with irritation, and he drew his saber, engaging him in a fight.
Under the torrential rain, soldiers from both nations crossed the sand-swept land, the entire wilderness filled with the tragic sounds of clashing swords and the brutal chaos of combat.
Explosions erupted everywhere, and tens of thousands of arrows rained down from the sky, fired in unison.
The great battle was about to begin.
But of this, the unconscious Ye Luan knew nothing.
----
When she awoke again, she was in a man's room.
The wound on her chest had been bandaged, and she was wearing only a thin red silk garment.
Xiao Chi Zhan was sitting by her bedside. Seeing her awaken, the originally dark and chilling depth in his eyes instantly vanished.
"How is it? Does it still hurt?"
Ye Luan raised her eyes, seeing it was him, and then glancing at the surrounding furnishings, her eyes dimmed.
The Northern Di military camp!
She had been brought back!
The maiden on the couch kept her eyes lowered, her long, dense eyelashes concealing the emotions in her eyes.
Xiao Chi Zhan could not see what she was thinking.
He said, "What do you want to eat?"
Ye Luan remained silent. After a long pause, she suddenly raised her eyes, as bright as obsidian, to look at him.
"Does His Highness stand by his words from when he jumped off the city wall?"
She had no leverage; she was already staking everything.
Xiao Chi Zhan's expression stiffened slightly. A flash of anger flickered in his alluring red eyes, then quickly disappeared.
Was she already so impatient?!
She had faked her death to deceive him before, and now she was so eager to escape him. Ye Luan, you are truly something!
"His Highness promised me that he would no longer restrict my freedom, that I could do as I pleased, and that you would respect me."
He smiled, "Of course, this Prince promises you."
Ye Luan let out a sigh of relief. This was a good start.
He was such a madman; she couldn't contend with him. He was more ruthless than her, capable of dragging her to death.
No longer having her freedom restricted, no longer confined to the manor, he wouldn't do anything she disliked. She had gambled and won.
She could be herself and have the chance to find medicine for Lu Fei Bai.
However, it was difficult to believe the words of this lunatic.
"Your Highness, please do not go back on your word. You must keep your promise."
Xiao Chi Zhan suddenly leaned in, his warm breath directly entering Ye Luan's ear, "This Prince keeps his word when it comes to you."
Ye Luan relaxed, about to say something, when he suddenly opened his mouth and nipped her earlobe, licking and kissing it, her heart instantly tingling and trembling.
The words on her lips could not be spoken.
He traced a path down from her ear, kissing and nuzzling for an unknown duration, then suddenly kissed her lips. His large hands gripped her waist, pressing her down onto the bed.
Ye Luan couldn't push him away, her mouth sealed by his, only able to let out muffled sounds.
She reached behind, scratching his back, tugging at his clothes, protesting.
Taking advantage of a moment when he paused to breathe, she directly said, "I don't want to right now. You said you would respect me."
Xiao Chi Zhan's eyes darkened, but his movements stopped.
He looked up at her face, as delicate as a flower, her lips kissed fiercely by him, tinged with a beautiful red.
"Oh, I was just kissing you. You're overthinking it."
Ye Luan: "----"
"Luan Luan, hug me."
Ye Luan felt something was off about him and mechanically reached out to hug his waist.
Xiao Chi Zhan said, "Call me Chi Zhan Ge Ge."
"Chi Zhan Ge Ge."
"Say you missed me."
"----"
Ye Luan didn't want to provoke this madman. He gave her freedom, so she would cooperate with him.
"I missed you."
Xiao Chi Zhan then said, "Say you love me."
Is self-deception enjoyable?
Ye Luan replied expressionlessly, "I love you."