"May you be well," he said, his voice warm like the winter sun. He had already walked two steps forward, his arms crossed, his demeanor composed and at ease.
"May I be well, Changsun Zhu, what is this all about? Binding us to this place, and calling it Fengwu Mountain Villa."
Qingyao's expression turned grim. She hadn't expected the hidden master behind Fengwu Mountain Villa to be Crown Prince Changsun Zhu of the Qingluo Kingdom. Where was this place? Could it be within the borders of the Xuanyue Kingdom?
The thought made Qingyao both angry and vexed. These people were truly amusing. He builds a villa on his land, and he builds a garden on his land. It was likely that Murong Liuzun, that man, had done similar things.
"Yingfeng," the person who had been smiling moments before was now filled with icy coldness. He cast a stern and commanding gaze upon his personal maidservant, Yingfeng, who stood below.
Upon seeing her master's anger, Yingfeng's expression immediately changed. Trembling, she said, "Your subordinate deserves death." She raised her hand and struck her own forehead. Mu Qingyao's eyes sharpened, and with a flicker of movement, she blocked Yingfeng's hand with a palm strike, turning to glare furiously at Changsun Zhu.
"If you are to discipline your servant, please do not do it in front of me. Or are you deliberately putting on a show for us?"
Changsun Zhu laughed, his fierceness and cruelty vanishing. He waved his hand, "You may go."
"Yes, Master," Yingfeng breathed a sigh of relief and slowly retreated. However, as she was about to leave, she glanced sideways at the young man who had saved her life. He was handsome, with a hint of charm. Could this young man be…? Her eyes flickered, and she had already exited the reception hall.
"Speak, what do you want by bringing us here?"
Qingyao was not going to be polite with him. This man was a lion. Without considerable ability, how could he have risen from the royal family to become the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace? Ruthlessness was a must, and his scheming was likely even more formidable.
Since he had brought them here, he must have a purpose. This was not the first time he had tried to take her away.
"Actually, you don't need to be so guarded. Since you left the palace, you must not want to return. But I believe no matter where you are, with Emperor Xian's ability, he will surely find your location within a few days. However, if you stay in Fengwu Mountain Villa, no one will know your whereabouts. What could be better than this? Or are you just playing hard to get, ultimately wanting to return to that man's side?"
Mu Qingyao rolled her eyes. This man was truly boring, resorting to provocation. She glared at him dismissively and turned to sit aside.
"Don't provoke me. I don't fall for that. I don't care where I stay. The important thing is, I want to know why you brought us here. If I don't understand your purpose, I'm afraid I won't be able to eat or sleep peacefully."
As Qingyao finished speaking, Changsun Zhu burst into laughter as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world. His mesmerizing, wicked eyes fixed on Qingyao, teasing her.
"I thought you feared nothing, that you were fearless. It turns out you have things to fear."
"Why can't I have things to fear? I am just an ordinary person, and of course, I fear death. Also, hurry up and tell me, or I will really leave," Qingyao said, slightly annoyed. Her gaze turned cold, her expression changing in an instant.
Changsun Zhu seemed genuinely afraid of her getting angry. Because even if he could trap her with his martial arts, he knew that with her intelligent mind, she would eventually find a way to leave. Therefore, it was better to have her stay willingly.
"Aren't we friends? I just want to invite you to Qingluo Kingdom as a guest. I have absolutely no ill intentions. If you want to leave, you can leave anytime."
Mu Qingyao remained silent. Changsun Zhu's suggestion was not without merit. If she wanted to leave the Xuanyue Kingdom now, she might not even be able to get past the border. However, Changsun Zhu must have a way to take them out. Once they were out of Xuanyue, and not within Murong Liuzun's sphere of influence, it would be impossible for him to infiltrate every layer.
Although Changsun Zhu had ulterior motives, similarly, she would not play with a tiger. She could still find an opportunity to leave later.
In an instant, Mu Qingyao made her decision and smiled gracefully.
"Alright, since Crown Prince Changsun invites us as guests, it would be impolite to refuse. But don't forget what you said today."
As soon as Qingyao finished speaking, Mo Chou and Mei Xin cried out, "Master!"
Their faces were all somewhat grim. Anyone with eyes could tell that Changsun Zhu was not a good person and undoubtedly had designs on their young lady. Hadn't he abducted their young lady once before at the Mu Mansion?
If they went to Qingluo Kingdom, which was Crown Prince Changsun's territory, they would likely have difficulty escaping.
"Good."
Changsun Zhu laughed heartily, his face beaming, before Qingyao could even respond to her subordinates. His face, as beautiful as a crown, was covered in a gentle glow. It seemed that Qingyao's decision to stay made him incredibly happy, from the inside out.
"Someone," Changsun Zhu called out. Immediately, a maidservant in green entered from the door. It was not Yingfeng, but another tall and beautiful woman, with a hint of pride in her eyes. She spoke slowly.
"Master?"
"Yingqing, arrange for our guests to stay in Lanling Pavilion," Changsun Zhu's words caused the beautiful woman to pause for a moment, but she quickly reacted and said respectfully, "Yes, Master."
Lanling Pavilion was still the most exquisite courtyard in Fengwu Mountain Villa. It was built by the lake, with a two-story building. The first floor was the living room, and the second floor was the bedroom. Opening the window, one could see the clear lake outside, with its clear, azure water, visible to the bottom.
Large pebbles lay at the bottom of the lake. As a gentle breeze blew, the shimmering waves were captivatingly beautiful. The scenery here was truly breathtaking.
This residence was not only by the lake but also adjacent to the master's chambers.
All the servants in Fengwu Mountain Villa knew that this was the place for the future mistress. Yet, now, their master had arranged for this woman, dressed in men's attire and of unknown origin, to stay in Lanling Pavilion.
As the master's personal head maid, Yingqing seemed to have some reservations.
Therefore, she had worn a stern expression the entire time, or perhaps, there was a hint of jealousy in her heart.
For some reason, their master no longer touched the women in the back courtyard, not even her. What had happened? Could it all be because of this woman? That their master had gone to such lengths, meticulously planned to bring her to Fengwu Mountain Villa.
When had they ever seen him care so much about a woman? The harem had three thousand beauties, the position of Crown Princess remained vacant, and all women were like mere clothes to him. Yet now, he had a woman who was treated differently.
The more Yingqing thought about it, the more unwilling she became. If the side consorts in the back courtyard learned of these matters, wouldn't there be good entertainment?
Since the master was so concerned about her, he would surely take her to Qingluo Kingdom.
Unbeknownst to Qingyao, Changsun Zhu was merely an acquaintance to her. In her mind, he wasn't even a friend.
Because of his unpredictable nature and ulterior motives, she never considered those with hidden agendas as friends. Therefore, she had no idea where Yingqing's reservations stemmed from.