Though smiling like a fox, he spoke so deferentially. Below, Mo Ruyan had regained some composure, her gaze calmly appraising the young man named Leng Yue. A dark smile touched her lips as she continued to play her zither.
Just then, the pearl curtain rustled, and someone entered from outside.
A maid from the Rouge Pavilion respectfully approached Yun Xiao and Shangguan Lin, speaking cautiously, "Young Master Yun, a guest wishes to see you."
"A guest?"
Yun Xiao blinked, looking at Shangguan Lin. In this place of indulgence, someone wanted to see her. Who could it be?
Shangguan Lin, beside her, raised his head and glared coldly at the maid, "Who?"
Mo Ruyan, who had been playing the zither, her pupils instantly turning as cold as an ice cellar. If she had only suspected before, now she was certain. She hadn't expected her master to...
No wonder he had always been indifferent to her. So he was that... that one?
Mo Ruyan could not tolerate this. She would not let Leng Yue go, daring to ruin the god in her heart. She stopped playing, clenched her fist, stood up, and walked to Shangguan Lin, speaking gently.
"Your Highness, perhaps the guest knows Young Master Leng. Why should Your Highness trouble the maid? It won't hurt Young Master Leng to go and see him."
Mo Ruyan bit her teeth to pieces as she spoke the last sentence. She couldn't believe that one man could cause so many people to be concerned, being more popular than them women. The more she thought about it, the more infuriated she became.
Yun Xiao looked up, feeling a trace of hostility from Mo Ruyan, but she didn't take it to heart, merely attributing it to jealousy.
Perhaps it was because Shangguan Lin and she were too close, which made her so angry. But next, this young master will give you a chance to get close. You'll have to thank me later.
Miss Yun smiled gleefully and nodded.
"Alright, I'll be back shortly. Your Highness, please stay and listen to Miss Ruyan play."
Without waiting for Shangguan Lin to speak, Yun Xiao followed the maid out. Glancing back quietly, she saw the beautiful girl's jade-like fingers pressing lightly on Prince Shangguan's large hand, the two gazing at each other affectionately.
Seeing that there might be something going on, Yun Xiao turned and walked out, thinking self-righteously.
As soon as she left the room, she stopped, looking at the little maid in front of her, "Who wants to see me?"
She thought and thought but couldn't figure out who would want to see her in such a place. In her current state, no one knew her. She didn't know any wealthy merchants or influential figures.
The little maid quickly turned around and said respectfully, "In the private room to the east, a guest wishes to see you, Young Master. Please follow this servant."
Yun Xiao looked around. Surely there wouldn't be any kidnapping or murder plots in the Rouge Pavilion? With so many people, and she wasn't unprepared, why should she fear anyone? It would only make that person laugh. She nodded, her gaze cold.
"Let's go."
The two walked along the corridor all the way to the east. Mo Ruyan's room was in the west, and the guest's location was in the east, passing through many private rooms.
The pearl curtains swayed, and faintly ambiguous sounds could be heard, along with some explicit words. Although Yun Xiao was bold, she was, after all, a young lady, and her face couldn't help but feel a little warm. Fortunately, she was wearing a mask, so even if she blushed, no one could tell.
In the private room to the east, the little maid spoke respectfully.
"Young Master Leng has arrived."
"Come in," a voice said. Yun Xiao blinked. Honestly, it sounded somewhat familiar, but she thought hard and couldn't remember who it was.
However, since it was familiar, it shouldn't harm her. She stepped into the private room. Facing her was a beautiful and charming woman, her fragrance wafting. Her eyes held a hint of regret. It was one of the ten beauties she had seen earlier.
Then who was here? It must be someone rich or powerful. Her steps faltered, and she was already standing inside the private room.
The private room had a round table outside, with a white plum vase holding fragrant, tender peonies. Inside, there was a zither stand, separated by a pearl curtain. On a soft couch in the inner room, a person was reclining.
Someone casual and languid, yet radiating intense coldness. Yun Xiao could only vaguely see ink-black hair, like three thousand bolts of brocade, magnificent and extraordinary. She could even smell the faint fragrance from their hair.
Suddenly, someone walked out from the inner room. That person, with a blank expression, passed by Yun Xiao and walked out. But the moment he appeared, Yun Xiao's vision darkened, and she almost fell to the ground. Finally, belatedly, she realized who was inside.
It was the guy who had sneaked into her room last night and tattooed a half-blooming lotus on her. The reason the conversation earlier sounded familiar was because it was spoken by his subordinate.
As soon as she knew who was inside, she wanted to pounce and bite off his neck. But then she thought, she wasn't his match. Wasn't that seeking death?
She slipped away, following closely behind the subordinate, rushing upwards. The person inside slowly spoke.
"You dare."
His soul-stirring, magnetic whisper, carrying an indescribable charm. The subordinate, right in front of her, slammed the door shut and guarded it firmly. Yun Xiao found herself with no way forward or backward, and turned back with a sheepish grin.
"I wondered who it was. So it's the great hero Murong. Long time no see. It's an honor."
She put on a show of cupping her fists, but her eyes were already fixed on her hand, wanting to bite this guy's neck.
Now that she was a man, why was she having such embroidery tattooed on a man's hand? It seemed she needed to find a way to cover this thing up.
As Yun Xiao was lost in thought, she felt a gust of wind rush past. Before she could see what happened, Great Hero Murong had elegantly floated out from the inner room. Then, he scooped her up and sat intimately on the long couch in the outer room, his face radiating coldness.
His pupils emitted deep, lingering, captivating light, enfolding her layer by layer. Yun Xiao was stunned for a moment. The scent from him was drilling into her nose.
Frankly, the scent was indeed pleasant, but she discovered something shocking: when had she become so close to this Great Hero Murong that she was sitting on his lap?
"Let go of me, Murong Chong."
Yun Xiao glared fiercely, but the man's arms were as hard as iron, and her struggles couldn't move him an inch. Moreover, the man slightly lowered his head.
His pupils exuded a swirling, deep, and abstruse blue light like seawater. His dark hair cascaded down.
Even though his face couldn't be seen clearly, the brilliance in his every move, unrestrained and proud, made it impossible to look away. And while she was dazed, he suddenly blurted out.
"I heard there's a 'cut-sleeve' in the building today, so I wanted to sever it."
"Is that so?" Yun Xiao came back to her senses, a sly grin on her face. The next moment, her body tilted, and she found herself lying on Great Hero Murong's lap.
His large hand naturally rested on her, while his other hand was raised, and with a smack, he brought it down. It was light, but after Yun Xiao's surprise, her first burst of anger and indignation made her cry.
Yun Xiao's tears fell drop by drop. From childhood to adulthood, from then until now, she had rarely cried. The only time she cried was when she saw Yun Mo severely injured at the border.
But now, she was utterly crying from anger because this guy was too detestable. Not only did he tattoo her hand, but he also spanked her backside. She was a woman, a woman.