"What lessоn?" Rubbing hеr hаnd gеntlу, Feng Yue gavе him а cold lоok. "What did I dо wrоng tо mаkе уou so аngry, Young Master?"
"What did уоu do wrоng?" Yin Gezhi's jаw tightеnеd. "I wаrned уоu frоm thе stаrt not tо get closе tо the Сrown Princе."
And loоk at her—in thе blink оf аn еуе, shе had gottеn sо clоsе shе endеd up in bеd with him!
Нis hand arоund hеr waist tightеned slightly as hе urged the horsе fоrwаrd. Thе horse reаrеd, jоlting Feng Yuе sо аbruрtlу thаt she instinсtivеly сlung to its nеck.
"Hе cаmе lоoking fоr mе оn his оwn. I run a business—do I hаve any reasоn to refuse him?" Аnnoyеd, Feng Yuе glаred аt the road ahead. "If you have the ability, you should have stopped the Crown Prince from entering my room. What’s the point of blaming me?"
"..." Sharp-tongued and quick-witted.
Why blame her? Because her attitude clearly showed she was more than willing to serve the Crown Prince, without the slightest hint of refusal! Ye Yuqing was an astute man. If he decided to use her, she wouldn’t even know how she died, and she might even drag him down with her. If not her, then who should he blame?
"Your Highness." The person in the carriage behind lifted the curtain, frowning as he watched the horse galloping faster and faster. "Miss Feng Yue is still injured. Why not let her ride in the carriage?"
Without turning his head, Yin Gezhi replied, "No need. She’s willing to ride the horse."
Willing, my foot! Feng Yue gritted her teeth, glancing back pitifully with eyes full of sorrow, reluctance, helplessness, and resentment.
Ye Yuqing shook his head and sighed. "Your Highness truly doesn’t understand how to cherish beauty."
"Naturally, I’m not as skilled with women as the Crown Prince." Despite his words, Yin Gezhi still had a shred of humanity. He tugged lightly on the reins and glanced down at the person in front of him.
She was clever enough to cling to the horse’s neck, but her face was truly pale, her profile and neck as white as snow.
It really made him seem like a beast.
His thin lips pressed together. Yin Gezhi, the First Prince who had taken countless lives, was moved by a rare flicker of compassion. He reined in the horse and asked softly, "Want to ride in the carriage?"
Feng Yue was already half-dead, slumped over the horse’s back, too exhausted to even groan. She simply pretended to be dead!
She had often heard people say that the First Prince was cold-blooded and ruthless, treating others as less than human. She had always thought it was malicious slander. Now, experiencing it firsthand, Feng Yue realized this guy wasn’t just cold-blooded and ruthless—he was downright inhuman! What’s wrong with being a courtesan? Aren’t courtesans human too? Thankfully, she knew how to ride a horse. If it had been a delicate young lady, wouldn’t she have been jolted right off the horse and sent straight to the underworld?
No wonder he could never find a wife!
Just as she was grumbling to herself, the person behind her seemed to dismount. Then, gripping her waist, he pulled her down as well.
"What now?" she snapped, her body as limp as seaweed, hanging from his hand and completely giving up resistance.
After all, resistance was useless anyway.
Yin Gezhi said nothing, holding her as he waited for the carriage behind to catch up. Then, he brought her aboard.
This was a bit unexpected. Feng Yue blinked as she was placed on the soft cushion. She flashed a bright smile at Ye Yuqing sitting opposite her before whispering, "Young Master, are you feeling sorry for me?"
Smoothing his robes as he sat beside her, Yin Gezhi replied expressionlessly, "No. I just suddenly remembered the law—murder demands a life in return."
Feng Yue: "..."Ye Yuqing chuckled, shaking his fan as he said, "The sun's out now, but it's still cooler inside the carriage."
"Indeed." Feng Yue adjusted her slightly disheveled hair and smiled faintly. "The carriage is better."
Yin Gezhi snorted coldly, turned to look out the window, and said nothing more. Feng Yue’s flirtatious glances were directed straight at Ye Yuqing, who responded with a subtle shift in his eyes and a meaningful, curling smile.
When her eyes grew tired, Feng Yue turned her head to glance at the man beside her.
Yin Gezhi looked particularly dashing today in his black attire, a stark contrast to when he wore white. Half of his dark hair was tied up in a bun, while the other half cascaded over his shoulders. When the wind blew, it brushed against his steel-like profile, stirring a flutter in her heart.
His appearance was truly a gift from heaven, so much so that no matter how terrible his temperament, the women in the military camp flocked to him, more eagerly than soldiers charging a high ground. Naive young girls always mistook a handsome face for a perfect husband, only to have their hearts broken into pieces in the end.
Foolish and pitiful.
Gently fanning himself, Ye Yuqing watched the two before him calmly—or rather, he watched Feng Yue intently.
This girl was exceptionally beautiful, at least among the people he had seen. Her willow-leaf eyebrows and phoenix eyes, paired with a nose slightly more defined than most women’s, gave her a touch of elegance. Yet, the heavy makeup she wore enhanced her allure, making her even more captivating. A golden-red floral adornment on her forehead accentuated the tenderness in her gaze.
If she were merely a courtesan, he might have taken a fancy to her and enjoyed her company for a while before moving on. But now, the way she looked at Yin Gezhi held too much—perhaps even she was unaware of it. It was a mix of love and hatred, full of struggle, with a hazy mist in her eyes reminiscent of the way she looked beneath him.
Suddenly, he found himself wanting to know the story behind her.
There were too few people who could pique his interest. In the past year, only Yin Gezhi had managed it. And as luck would have it, the woman who interested Yin Gezhi had also caught his attention.
Why not observe them together?
With a creak, the carriage wheels stopped. A servant outside placed a small stool by the carriage steps, and Yin Gezhi stepped down without hesitation.
Feng Yue snapped back to reality and lifted her skirt to exit, only to see Ye Yuqing move first. With a soft, amused tone, he said, "Take your time."
Huh? Feng Yue was puzzled as she watched him step down, close his fan, and lift the carriage curtain for her. Then, he extended his hand to her, graceful and poised. "Please."
Unaccustomed to such treatment, Feng Yue was taken aback. After a moment, she regained her composure and placed her hand in his, using his support to step down.
"Thank you."
Yin Gezhi watched coldly, his eyes filled with mockery. Feng Yue steeled herself, withdrew her hand, and slowly moved to stand beside him.
"I haven’t had the chance to ask," Feng Yue said. "What are you bringing me to a place like this for, Young Master?"
"It’s useful." With those two words, as cold as iron in winter, Yin Gezhi turned and strode into the training ground.
Shivering from the chill, Feng Yue shrugged and followed him, lifting the hem of her skirt.
The training ground was a familiar place to her. Though this was the Wu Kingdom’s training ground, the scent of sand and rust brought her a sense of comfort, lifting her spirits a little.Due to yesterday's invitation to take on disciples, quite a few people came to the training ground today. It was still early, but already seven or eight youths stood in the area, casually practicing with weapons from the racks.
Yin Gezhi didn't look at them, nor did he greet anyone. He led Guan Zhi straight toward the pavilion beside the training ground.
"Master," Guan Zhi spoke up with a frown once they were farther away from the others. "You seem to be in a rather poor mood today. Should I fetch some calming tea for you later?"
Yin Gezhi sneered, "What makes you think I'm in a bad mood?"
Guan Zhi pursed his lips. "I've followed you for ten years after all. How could I not recognize your emotions? But this level of displeasure is rare, and I'm a bit worried about you."
This was the truth. After ten years of loyalty, Guan Zhi was the only one who had earned Yin Gezhi's complete trust. His master always wore a stern expression, making it difficult for others to discern his mood. Only Guan Zhi could tell whether he was happy or upset.
"I simply dislike it when someone disrupts my plans by barging in unexpectedly," Yin Gezhi said, lowering his gaze as he ascended the stairs. "She shouldn't be getting close to the Crown Prince."
If not the Crown Prince, then who should she get close to? Guan Zhi wanted to ask but held back, as they had already arrived at their destination.
"General Song," Yin Gezhi clasped his hands in greeting to the man ahead. "Thank you for your trouble today."
The middle-aged man in armor turned around and laughed heartily. "What trouble? I should be thanking Your Highness for taking such good care of the Song Family's army. Please, come this way."
The third floor of the pavilion had a balcony, offering a perfect view of the open training ground below.
For instance, the moment Yin Gezhi stepped onto the balcony, he saw Ye Yuqing lifting his sleeve to wipe Feng Yue's eyes.
"My apologies," Feng Yue said awkwardly. "The makeup powder from that rouge shop really isn't very good."
It had smudged on her!
Ye Yuqing chuckled softly, his gaze gentle as he looked at her. "Tomorrow, I'll have someone send you some better-quality powder."
"...There's no need. I'll buy it myself."
After all, he was the Crown Prince. How could he be so considerate? Feng Yue had initially intended to seduce him properly, but now it seemed entirely unnecessary. This man was as warm as spring from the very start, so warm that she felt almost embarrassed to harbor any ill intentions.
No wonder Yi Zhangzhu was always being criticized. Such a fine Crown Prince, and she had rejected his marriage proposal. It was no surprise that the girls at Dream Return Pavilion gossiped about her every day.
What a waste! What a waste!
Just as she was thinking this, the face before her suddenly enlarged, slowly leaning in as if to kiss her.
What?! Feng Yue was stunned. There were people all around—what was he trying to do?
"Clang!"
Just as their lips were about to meet, a black longsword suddenly shot through the air, embedding itself in the ground five steps away from Ye Yuqing! The blade trembled and hummed, the sound echoing endlessly.
The training ground fell silent for a moment. Ye Yuqing paused his movement, straightened up, and glanced sideways at the pavilion, fanning himself with a smile.
Guan Zhi looked shocked, and General Song beside him paled. Only the stone-faced figure standing between them remained expressionless, tall and poised, his gaze calm as if he hadn't been the one who threw the sword.
"Your Highness!" General Song, having regained his senses, hurriedly rushed downstairs and knelt before Ye Yuqing. "I did not know Your Highness had arrived. I failed to welcome you properly!""No matter." Ye Yuqing smiled with great delight. "I heard there was a contest here, so I took the liberty of coming to watch the excitement. General, there's no need for alarm."
How could he not be alarmed? Ah! To come out and see the First Prince Yin Gezhi throwing a knife was one thing, but to throw it in the direction of the Crown Prince—wasn't that asking for his life!
Feng Yue looked up toward Yin Gezhi's direction, frowning slightly. The latter gazed at her calmly, like a god descending from heaven, looking down upon her, an ant, with contemptuous eyes.
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