“Is he telling me to move out of Qingning Courtyard?”

Gao Minyue only knew these kinds of tricks.

“Qingning Courtyard, I’ll give it to her.”

Calm and composed, without a trace of anger.

Xie Jin Yan found it both expected and unexpected.

Feng Yuan was shocked and delighted. Without waiting for Xie Jin Yan to speak, he hurried to compliment Yu Qingwu, “Miss Yu is generous. I’ll go back to Chunfang Pavilion to report this.”

Xie Jin Yan, however, frowned and glanced deeply at the woman beside him, stopping Feng Yuan. “Feng Yuan, go tell Miss Gao that if she feels uncomfortable living in Chunfang Pavilion, there are still Chenxiang Courtyard, Ningshuang Pavilion, and Chuyun Residence. Ask her which one she likes.”

Not a single word of refusal, yet refusing so clearly.

“Understood.”

Feng Yuan nodded, retreating with a bitter face.

Yu Qingwu watched Feng Yuan’s receding figure, and couldn’t help feeling sympathetic.

“Your Highness is making things difficult for Feng Yuan.”

“Isn’t that what Shijie (Senior Apprentice Sister) wants?”

The man’s chuckled voice came from beside her ear as soon as Yu Qingwu finished speaking.

Before she could say anything, that pair of strong hands landed on her shoulders again, forcibly turning her to face him.

Then, he leaned in heavily, raising an eyebrow and saying, “Is Shijie satisfied with this result?”

“Now that Shijie is satisfied, shouldn’t I be satisfied too?”

A hint of wickedness rose in the man’s dark eyes as his large hand slowly traced that exquisitely beautiful face, caressing it gently.

The roughness of his palm against her skin made Yu Qingwu tremble slightly, and her heart trembled even more.

In broad daylight, how could this man reveal such undisguised desire…

Eye to eye, Yu Qingwu’s cheeks flushed from Xie Jin Yan’s gaze. She pushed against his deliberately approaching chest, avoiding his gaze, and whispered, “It’s daytime now, Your Highness. This isn’t appropriate, is it? People might criticize us.”

Was she blaming him?

Xie Jin Yan leaned forward, pressing her small hand, which was supporting him, back down. He smiled noncommittally. “Is Shijie accusing me of indulging in lust in broad daylight?”

“Your Highness is, after all, the Crown Prince of a nation…”

“So what if I’m the Crown Prince? I can even steal another’s wife. What is there that I can’t do?”

“…”

Yu Qingwu choked.

That’s right. Xie Jin Yan, this scoundrel, was always absurd and dissolute. Why would he care what others said?

But she really didn’t want to today. She had just recovered, and she was terrified at the thought of Xie Jin Yan’s endless tricks.

Looking at Xie Jin Yan’s desire-filled dark eyes, Yu Qingwu’s heart jumped violently. She used her fingers to support herself, and said nervously, “Xie Jin Yan, A-Yue is still injured. Aren’t you afraid of making her angry?”

“Good. I won’t make her angry.”

“I’ll have her move in with Shijie now.”

“You…scoundrel!” Yu Qingwu was furious, and punched him heavily.

However, her bit of strength only seemed like flirting when it landed on Xie Jin Yan, causing Xie Jin Yan to feel another surge of heat.

He hadn’t touched her for a month since the last time.

He chuckled, grabbed Yu Qingwu’s hand, picked her up, and said in a low, hoarse voice, “To the bathing chamber.”

With that, he walked straight toward the bathing chamber.

Fortunately, he took the small path, and not many people saw him.

In no time, they arrived at the edge of the bath.

Mist rose from the water, and the brightly colored peony petals floated ambiguously.

Yu Qingwu was placed inside, and along with the heat, the man’s scorching kiss came overwhelmingly, gentle yet fierce, leaving her shattered…

She didn’t know how long had passed before Yu Qingwu became drowsy. Only then did Xie Jin Yan carry her, satiated, into the inner chamber.

She rested in his arms for a long time before slowly waking up.

When she raised her eyes, she saw Xie Jin Yan looking at her gently, his large hand stroking her hair, and he asked softly, “Shijie, are you still afraid?”

?

Yu Qingwu looked at him with dazed eyes, and asked blankly, “Afraid of what?”

“I’m asking you, are you afraid of the bathing chamber?” Xie Jin Yan curled his lips, and gently scraped her nose with his finger.

Yu Qingwu was stunned, and suddenly realized what he meant.

The blush that had just faded instantly returned, making her face even more delicate and charming.

Xie Jin Yan smiled, touched her hair, and continued, “That night, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“It’s just…some things, once touched, become uncontrollable…”

“And A-Yue, I’ve always only regarded her as a younger sister. It’s my fault that she’s become like this.”

“Shijie, please be more tolerant.”

Did this sound like he was coaxing her?

Yu Qingwu didn’t know why Xie Jin Yan was suddenly telling her this.

But she didn’t believe such nonsense, especially when it was said in bed…

Yu Qingwu scoffed and didn’t answer.

Seeing her expression, Xie Jin Yan didn’t explain further. He only moved slightly, gently caressing Yu Qingwu’s smooth shoulder, and said softly, “I’ve already told the Empress Mother that I will officially accept you as a Liangdi (lower-ranking concubine) next month. In a few days, you will come with me to the palace to meet the Empress Mother.”

A Liangdi?

He really wanted to take her as a concubine.

Yu Qingwu’s heart sank heavily, and she couldn’t help but clench the quilt.

Her mother had said that concubines were lowly, slaves for life, unable to control their own fate.

Although she came from a humble background, she had never thought of becoming someone’s concubine, even if he was the current Crown Prince…

In an instant, Yu Qingwu’s face darkened.

Xie Jin Yan’s previously gentle face revealed a slight displeasure, and his voice turned cold as he pinched her shoulder and hummed, “What? Are you unwilling?”

“If I say I’m unwilling, will Your Highness let me go?” Yu Qingwu raised her head, a hint of red appearing at the corners of her eyes, and suddenly felt powerless and broken. “Perhaps, as Shen Rou said, I’m destined to be a concubine?”

Yes, other than becoming a concubine, what else could she do?

Yu Qingwu took a deep breath, struggled out of Xie Jin Yan’s arms, put on her clothes, and walked out of the bathing chamber in a daze.

Xie Jin Yan silently watched the woman’s back, his eyes becoming increasingly dark, cold, and stern.

*Bang*, his fist slammed heavily on the bed board.

…

The thunder rumbled in her ears. Yu Qingwu saw Xie Jin Yan again two days later.

It was clearly winter, but thunder roared continuously.

After changing into the formal dress Xie Jin Yan had prepared for her, she walked out of Qingning Courtyard with trepidation.

The carriage was already waiting in the front yard. Xie Jin Yan, dressed in a dark purple brocade robe, leaned against the carriage, and beckoned to her, “Come here.”

Yu Qingwu lowered her head, and walked over with a pale face amidst the thunder.

Xie Jin Yan lifted the curtain for her, with a hint of deliberate aloofness and seven parts of royal arrogance, and told her in a low voice, “When we get to the palace later, answer whatever the Empress Mother asks. There’s no need to hide anything.”

“Mm…”

“Shige (Senior Apprentice Brother), I want to go to the palace too. The Empress hasn’t seen me in so many years. She must miss me very much.”

Yu Qingwu nodded, her foot just stepping onto the carriage, when a loud female voice suddenly arrived, with a hint of boastfulness.