The room was silent.
Xue Ren knelt on the ground. Seeing that the man above had not spoken for a long time, he reminded him respectfully, "Your Highness, the King of Zhennan and others have arrived."
Hearing his voice, Xiao Chi Zhan slowly raised his eyes. He picked up the snowball on the table, his voice flat and without any fluctuation, "Come in."
As Xiao Nan entered, he saw that the Prince of Dingbei, whom he had not seen in a long time, was actually holding a cat.
He smiled in surprise, "Where is the King's blood wolf? Since when did you get such a small pet?"
His long, clean fingers gently stroked the soft ball in his arms, and a faint tenderness appeared on his usually fierce face.
He had known Xiao Chi Zhan for many years, and this scene was truly unusual.
"What? Has Blood Fiend not bitten you enough?"
His cold, knife-like eyes shot over.
Xiao Nan awkwardly touched his nose and smiled warmly, "Fierce."
Xiao Chi Zhan ignored him. His handsome and devilish features were tinged with a sickly coldness. He scanned the room and spoke indifferently.
"Where is Tan Tai Ye Ren?"
The King of Zhennan, Shen Lin, immediately chimed in, "The General went to see Madam off. He should be here soon."
"Yes, everyone sit down first."
There were more than a dozen people who followed him in. They were not only from Xiliang and Beiqi, but also from Beidi and Nanzhang. The complex web of interests between them was intricate and difficult to untangle.
Xiao Chi Zhan glanced at Xue Ren, who was still kneeling, and said, "Go and call Tan Tai Ye over."
"Yes."
After Xue Ren emerged from the cold room, he felt a sense of relief.
He walked out of the heavily guarded courtyard and headed for the Bamboo Garden.
As soon as he entered, he saw the great general in black robes pressing the young lady under a flower trellis, kissing her passionately. He froze and turned to leave.
Tan Tai Ye heard the movement and looked back at him. A hint of suppressed desire flickered in his eyes, and his voice was hoarse.
"What is it?"
Xue Ren dared not look, lowering his head.
"Everyone has arrived. Your Highness is calling for the General."
Tan Tai Ye frowned and cursed, "Is he bored himself? Always finding trouble for me."
He had just stopped, and now they were about to discuss matters. Didn't they want him to have any breathing room?
After traveling for so long, he hadn't eaten a single bite of meat and was about to suffocate.
Lan Mu Rou heard his words, her face flushed, and she lowered her head.
Xue Ren dared not speak. How was he supposed to reply?
"Alright, tell him to talk first. I'll be there later."
"Yes."
Tan Tai Ye scooped her up and headed towards the house.
Lan Mu Rou saw his displeasure and dared not speak, silently lowering her head.
"Be more proactive."
Hearing his impatience, her lowered eyelashes trembled. Tremblingly, she reached out and hooked her arms around his neck, kissing his lips.
He kicked the door open with his foot, carrying her straight towards the bed, kissing her fiercely as he walked.
As soon as they reached the bed, she was roughly pressed down onto it.
"Ah, it hurts--"
His kisses were fierce, as if he wanted to devour her.
Tan Tai Ye seized the back of her neck with one hand and unbuckled her belt with the other, reaching in. His voice was hoarse, "It hurts, but you have to bear it."
"General--"
"Hmm?"
Lan Mu Rou's eyes were red from his kisses, and she whimpered coquettishly.
Tan Tai Ye's interest was piqued. He gentled his movements, stroking her raven hair, and looked down at her with a smile, "Rou'er, call me husband."
Husband?!
A flicker of sarcasm crossed Lan Mu Rou's lowered eyes. Her tender lips quivered, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Didn't he want her to be his mistress? What kind of husband was he?
"What are you thinking about?"
Tan Tai Ye was displeased with her distraction and squeezed the soft flesh of her waist hard, causing her eyes to water instantly from the pain.
"What? You don't want to call me?"
The intimate atmosphere suddenly dissipated. His sinister eyes were like knives, piercing her, as if they were coated with a layer of frost.
Lan Mu Rou's face turned pale with fear, and her palms involuntarily trembled. "No."
"Then why won't you call me?"
He pressed down on her, his weight seeming to embed her into his bones.
His well-defined fingers then cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look him in the eye.
Lan Mu Rou gasped in pain and quickly gently pulled his hands away, forcing a smile to her lips. She said softly, "I'm not used to it."
Her face hurt, and his pinching was agonizing.
"What's there to be unaccustomed to? You'll get used to it if you call me a few more times."
Tan Tai Ye said impatiently, leaning down to kiss her earlobe, his voice low and seductive.
"Good girl, call me once. I want to hear it."
Lan Mu Rou also wanted to obediently call him, but she just couldn't.
Their relationship was inherently unequal, neither proper nor legitimate!
She was like a pet he kept, summoned and dismissed at will.
The sacred word "husband" couldn't be uttered for him.
She was waiting for the day he would grow tired of her and end this humiliating life.
"You don't want to call me? What, am I not worthy?"
He敏锐ly sensed her unease, and the rage and fury in his heart began to spread uncontrollably.
In the past, she had always been gentle and never thought of contradicting him. She was considerate and docile. Now, her mind was always occupied with something. Did he not see it?
He was the first to notice any change in her.
"Rou'er, you're becoming more and more disobedient."
Tan Tai Ye's hawk-like eyes shot sharp, dark glints onto the woman beneath him, filled with an abnormal possessiveness.
Lan Mu Rou heard his anger, bit her lip, and lowered her eyes, not saying a word.
Seeing her like this, Tan Tai Ye couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
Now, whenever she disagreed with him, she would put on a cold face and ignore him.
Silent resistance!
Good!
Very good!
He fiercely held her head and bit her soft, fragrant lips, his voice sinister, "Do you not want to see Lan Mu Yan anymore?"
The threatening words were like sharp cold light piercing her heart.
Lan Mu Rou's heart sank, her face turned pale, and she trembled.
He only knew how to use his power to threaten her, intimidate her, and force her to stay by his side, letting him bully her.
"Call me husband once, and I'll spare you."
He stubbornly insisted that she call him that.
Lan Mu Rou's lips hurt, but her heart hurt even more.
However, she had no power and no influence. Thinking of her brother still in his hands, she could only suppress the sorrow in her heart and softly called out.
"Husband."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Tan Tai Ye felt as if an electric current had surged through his back, striking his soul and making him tremble uncontrollably.
His eyes flickered with dark excitement, and he fiercely captured her lips.
"Call me a few more times."
He truly loved it when she called him like this, it struck a chord in his heart.
Lan Mu Rou felt his excitement and was somewhat confused.
He buried his head in her neck, nuzzling her, and hearing her soft calls of "Xianggong" made his whole body tremble and go numb.
"Yes, call me like this from now on. I like to hear it."
He truly loved her calling him this in bed.
"Rou'er, you are truly beautiful."