"Ying Yi, come in."
The person who had been waiting outside heard the voice and walked in with his head bowed.
"Did you find out?"
Ying Yi bowed and replied, "It's the two young ladies from the Grand Commandant's mansion. They were instructed by Princess Anle."
Hearing this, Tantai Ye let out a cold laugh. "Teach them a lesson. As for the one outside, drag her in."
"Yes."
Princess Anle had already been knocked unconscious. When a basin of cold water was thrown on her, she almost choked to death.
"Awake?"
Tantai Ye squatted down and looked at her with a smile. The malevolent ruthlessness in his eyes was chilling.
Princess Anle looked at the scene in astonishment. The moment her gaze fell upon Lan Murou, the venom in her eyes could no longer be concealed.
What was going on?
Why was she here?
"What are you looking at her for? Think she's easy to bully?"
The man's voice carried a chilling tease, and the smile on his lips was indifferent and terrifying.
Princess Anle, with reddened eyes, tried to grab Tantai Ye's sleeve, but he directly gripped her wrist with a force that seemed intent on tearing it apart.
"Where did you get the nerve to instigate someone to harm her?"
Princess Anle, being a princess, had never been humiliated like this in her life.
She looked at the dark guards beside her, feeling an ominous unease. Hearing the man she admired speak so coldly, she couldn't help but recall a recent intimate encounter, and her face instantly turned pale.
"You... you tricked me?!"
Tantai Ye laughed. "Don't you like to seduce men? I'll give you one. I can also send you to the army. That should be enough for you to enjoy. Do you want to go?"
"You—"
Princess Anle was both terrified and enraged. The thought of having lost her virginity to a lowly dark guard almost made her spit out a mouthful of blood. She was driven to madness by anger.
She looked at Lan Murou, who was glowing with health and beauty, and her heart surged with jealousy. She roared uncontrollably.
"What's so good about her? She's just a lowly commoner. The Tantai family will never accept her. Only I, only I am worthy of you!"
Tantai Ye sneered. "What business is it of yours if I'm willing?"
The man she longed for day and night had ruined her innocence to protect another woman.
A fierce, venomous killing intent flashed in Princess Anle's eyes.
She was so angry that her eyes were bloodshot. "Tantai Ye, she doesn't love you. She doesn't love you at all."
Tantai Ye licked his lips, playing with the knife in his hand.
"What does love have to do with it? She can only follow me for the rest of her life, even if it's without a name or status."
Lan Murou listened to his words, her face turning slightly pale, her palms trembling involuntarily.
Would she have to live this humble and humiliating life forever?
Would he not let her go even after marrying and having children?
"Hold her down!"
The cold, sinister voice was like a demon from hell, and the curve of his lips was terrifying.
Princess Anle was forcibly held down, and the cold blade of the knife grazed her face, scaring her into trembling like a sieve.
"Ah—get away—get away—"
"It's not uncommon for a princess to die in this palace. Go on your way properly."
A heart-rending scream instantly echoed in the hall like a ghost's wail.
Princess Anle curled up in pain, her entire face contorted, filled with insane resentment and despair.
Her body was covered in blood, and her blood-stained fingers desperately reached out to grab the dark robe.
Tantai Ye let out a cold laugh and threw the knife away, standing up.
"Handle it properly."
Princess Anle cried out in unwilling collapse, her face狰狞, her roars and the blood in her mouth gurgling out, her flesh turned inside out, terrifying.
"Why, why—"
Tantai Ye took Lan Murou's hand and walked out, his smile terrifying.
"Disobedient beasts, serve them well, then send her on her way."
"Yes."
"Tantai Ye, don't go, don't go—"
The woman's mournful screams behind them continued endlessly, her voice hoarse and chilling, making one's hair stand on end. No one knew what terrible torture she was enduring.
Lan Murou glanced at the man's stern face, feeling a slight shock in her heart.
"Your hands are so cold. Are you afraid of me?"
He lowered his gaze and looked at her. The narrow phoenix eyes held sharp, cold glints and arrogance, the kind of condescension from someone accustomed to being in power, with endless indifference and coldness.
Lan Murou thought of A Yan and slightly parted her lips. "No—"
Before she could finish speaking, Tantai Ye's icy hand shot out and gripped her cheeks, forcing her to look at him directly.
"Rou'er, be good and please me. Follow me. Don't have any improper thoughts just because you saw Ye Luan once. You know my methods."
His threatening words pierced to the bone.
Lan Murou felt a strong sense of humiliation welling up in her heart, her cheeks flushing red, all the blood in her body seeming to drain away as she curled up.
She murmured a "mm" and dared not say anything.
Tantai Ye noticed her abnormality, but couldn't be bothered. He threw his arm around her waist and headed towards the Imperial Garden.
He was still harboring anger.
The thought of her aloof attitude today inexplicably made him angry. Did she wish he would find more women to free her?
"I'm telling you, even if I marry a wife, I won't let you go. You should give up that thought sooner rather than later."
His words were like knives slicing into Lan Murou's heart. She was stunned, and a chill ran up her spine, uncontrollable sorrow and grievance filling her.
Did she have to live under his control and confinement forever?
The Emperor of Daqi was holding a banquet in the Imperial Garden, and the sounds of toasting and feasting were everywhere.
When the two arrived, it was bustling with activity.
Lan Murou was forcibly pulled by him to sit at the front.
"Where were you?"
Upon hearing Xiao Chizhan's question, Tantai Ye smiled lazily. "Sleeping."
As he spoke, Blood Blade quietly walked up from behind.
"Your Highness, we haven't found the person!"
Xiao Chizhan's expression was cold and distant. "What about Xie Beihan's men?"
"They are also looking for Miss Ye, but their men haven't found her either."
"Are you telling me that a living person has disappeared?"
His voice was chilling and bloodthirsty, his hard, taut jawline as sharp as a blade.
Blood Blade was startled. "Your Highness, please calm your anger."
Tantai Ye, who overheard the conversation, raised an eyebrow. "Ye Luan is missing?!"
"Mmm."
Lan Murou quietly listened to their conversation, a slight shock in her heart.
A Luan is missing?
Tantai Ye picked up his wine cup and glanced at the people from Beiqi across the way. Seeing Xie Beihan surrounded by a group of people, he let out a cold scoff.
"This is the Beiqi Imperial Palace. Is Xie Beihan a waste? How can the person be missing?"
A murderous intent flashed in Xiao Chizhan's eyes. After a moment, he seemed to recall something and spoke directly.
"Investigate Prince Su's men."
Prince Su was loyal to Xie Nanchen and had always been at odds with Xie Beihan. It was possible that in order to frame him, he wanted to harm Ye Luan to catch him.
At this thought, a soul-stirring, cold glow appeared in Xiao Chizhan's eyes, bloodthirsty and terrifying.
Seeking death!
Tantai Ye straightened his body and sipped his wine.
"Oh, right. Go and check on that Princess Xuanle, the person isn't at the banquet either."
Xiao Chizhan said grimly, "What Princess Xuanle?"
"Tsk, truly heartless." Tantai Ye licked his lips. "Consort Hui's daughter. She likes you. Perhaps she deliberately went to find trouble with Ye Luan."
He had discovered today that women's jealousy was terrifying.
Xiao Chizhan hadn't even heard of this person and had no impression of her.
He said to Blood Blade behind him, "Go and investigate. You have half an incense stick's time. Search the entire Beiqi Imperial Palace, you must find her!"
"Yes."