"Doesn't the General have to be a man too?"
Lan Murou couldn't help but speak the thoughts in her heart. Her voice was soft and gentle, yet it carried a subtle hint of mockery.
She had always been gentle. Now, she dared to retort him?
Tantai Ye narrowed his eyes slightly, his hand around her waist tightening.
He lowered his gaze to her. Her gentle, watery eyes appeared very delicate and pitiful. Perhaps from crying for so long, they were slightly red, evoking a sense of pity.
Hmph, she had learned to be bad from Ye Luan, daring to defy him.
The rough pads of his fingers caressed her jawline, his dark pupils flashing with an unreadable expression.
Lan Murou instinctively felt he was hatching some wicked plan. Her heart trembled a little, and her palms inexplicably became cold and sweaty. She regretted her rashness just now.
Suddenly, he yanked her forward and dragged her to the window.
A slightly cold breeze, carrying fallen pear blossoms, drifted in.
He pressed against her from behind, his hand gripping her fair, soft neck. A sinister, cold laugh reached her ears.
"Got a bit of backbone, have you?"
The familiar brutality assailed her from all sides, as if ensnaring her very nerves.
Lan Murou was so frightened that her legs felt weak. Her pale hands clutched the window frame, trembling.
"Rou'er, if you entertain any other thoughts, you should know the consequences."
While threatening her, he pressed his lips against hers, his voice filled with a languid tenderness that also harbored a sinister darkness.
Her back involuntarily tingled, sending shivers through her.
Lan Murou's eyes reddened. She bit her lip fiercely, making no sound.
She detested this body that he had trained to be so wanton. Whenever he pressed close, her limbs would turn to jelly.
"Don't bite and cry, your lips are already broken. Tsk, truly pitiful."
He chuckled lightly, resting his arms on the window frame to encircle her. His thin lips then moved inch by inch across her skin, hot and burning.
Lan Murou couldn't help but tremble.
A chilling wind blew in from outside, and her thin clothes were suddenly torn by him.
She gasped in horror, her face contorting with fear.
"General, no—"
"No what?"
He looked at her with a shameless smile, a slender finger still holding the white silk pouch, rubbing it slightly.
Lan Murou covered herself and tugged at his robe, pleading, "It's daytime, and there are people outside."
Tantai Ye loved seeing her pathetic appearance the most. The brutality within him could not be contained.
He scooped her up by the waist and pulled her into his embrace.
"You are made of water, crying all day long."
His voice carried a hint of teasing as he tightened his hold on her.
Lan Murou dared not disobey him, lowering her head.
"No one can see, what are you afraid of?" He leaned in and chuckled in her ear. "This is exciting."
Her body shivered, and panic flickered in her eyes.
She suddenly recalled moments from the past when he had locked her in a cage and forcefully taken her. He was a pervert at heart; he enjoyed seeing her terrified to the point of collapse, yet unable to resist.
Tantai Ye felt the tremor in the woman in his arms, narrowed his eyes, and looked down at her. The smile in his eyes was deeply dangerous and explicit.
They had been together for so long, and he truly loved her immensely.
Especially this innocent, pitiful appearance of hers, so dependent on him. It was extremely alluring, like a deadly poison, addictive.
"Rou'er, crouch down."
Hearing his suggestive words, Lan Murou froze. Immediately, she pulled at her clothes, her fair hand gripping his robe, and smiled gently.
"General, it's cold."
His gaze was like that of a ferocious beast on the Heavenly Mountain, dangerous and terrifying.
She pressed her lips against his, seductively saying, "Let's go to bed, shall we?"
Seeing her like this for the first time in a while, Tantai Ye chuckled softly. Suppressing his urge, he swept her up into his arms and walked towards the draped bed.
"General, the Prince has awakened. He is in the study with the Northern Qi envoy and wants to see you."
At this moment, Lin Wei's voice suddenly came from outside.
Tantai Ye's footsteps faltered. His dark pupils showed a hint of impatience as he shouted, "I'm busy. You decide yourselves."
With that, he ignored them and directly threw her onto the bed.
Lan Murou was almost thrown off balance by his roughness.
"General, but the Prince said you must go quickly."
Tantai Ye continued to undress without pause, completely disregarding the urgent calls from outside.
"Then let them wait."
Lan Murou's eyes darkened upon hearing the words from outside. When she looked up again, her expression turned soft. She reached out and gently grasped the man's hand, speaking softly.
"General, the Prince summoning you must be urgent. Perhaps you should go and see?"
If she could avoid it this once, it would be a win.
She did not want to serve him.
Tantai Ye raised an eyebrow and leaned down to bite her lip. "What? You don't want me to touch you."
Lan Murou's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained soft.
"The Prince's temper is unpredictable these days. Who knows what he might do. With the General present, Da Liang and Northern Qi won't escalate the situation too badly."
Her words were a bit too subservient and flattering.
"His temper has been unpredictable for a long time. What could possibly happen?"
Saying this, he leaned in to kiss her.
However, Lin Wei's voice outside grew noticeably anxious. He paced back and forth, making one's heart agitated.
Tantai Ye roared, "What are you rushing for? You're disturbing me."
"General, if you don't go, I can't report back."
Seeing this, Lan Murou immediately pressed against his chest and persuaded, "You should go and attend to it first."
Tantai Ye paid no attention. When his interest was piqued, no one could stop him.
Lin Wei waited outside for a full hour before seeing the man emerge with a dark expression.
"No reception early, no reception late. They just love to make trouble for me."
Watching the man stride away, he quickly followed, mentally grumbling about being insatiable in broad daylight.
When Tantai Ye arrived, the atmosphere in the room was somewhat stagnant.
On the main seat, Xiao Chi Zhan was leaning lazily against a pear wood chair, playing with the snowball in his arms. His movements were casual, yet they exuded a sharp, deadly aura.
Generals from Da Liang and Northern Qi were seated on either side, filling the room.
"General Yelü has traveled a long way. Please forgive our inadequate hospitality."
Yelü Hong, a great general of Northern Qi, was dispatched by Crown Prince Xie Bei Han to attack Da Liang. He had captured Liangzhou along the way, plundering countless gold, silver, and fabrics from the city.
His original intention was to surround Hongzhou City from Linhe. But who could have foreseen that the King of Dingbei would suddenly ambush tens of thousands of Northern Qi troops in Hongzhou? Northern Qi was forced to retreat.
However, Da Liang had broken through three cities of Northern Qi. Although Jiuchuan was saved, the loss of the three cities in the Chaoge area falling into Da Liang's hands was truly devastating.
Therefore, he was ordered to come and seek a compromise.
"Not at all. General Zhenxi is young and promising. I have heard much of him. Seeing him today, the reputation truly matches the man."
Tantai Ye sneered inwardly and took his seat opposite him.
This old scoundrel had a lot of nerve, breaking Liangzhou and yet daring to come to Hongzhou City alone to meet them. Truly bold.