Ye Tinglan's eyelids fluttered open, his gaze appraising her.
Feng Yinwan cut to the chase.
"This consort has said before that Qin Rulian is His Highness's benefactor. This has nothing to do with this consort. If she dares to provoke me, this consort will not show any mercy!"
"Vengeful."
It wasn't exactly a compliment, but Feng Yinwan was pleased with the assessment.
"Does Your Highness not know the saying, 'Women and small-minded people are the most difficult to deal with'? If you pity her and cannot bear to part, it would be best to sign the divorce papers soon."
Ye Tinglan scoffed. "On the way back to the capital, you made her kneel the entire journey. Do you think this Prince was unaware?"
The moment he returned to the manor yesterday, Qin Rulian had come to complain tearfully, but he had been too annoyed by Feng Yinwan to see her.
His long lashes lowered, a hint of an unreadable emotion in his eyes.
"She cannot be harmed. I can agree to anything else you wish."
Feng Yinwan raised an eyebrow, about to ask what level of "harm" he meant, when the chamber door was suddenly banged upon.
The next moment, Qin Rulian's saccharine voice drifted in from outside.
"Tinglan Gege, are you in?"
Feng Yinwan's beautiful eyes flickered subtly.
She's walking right into the trap?
Seeing that she had entered the main courtyard without hindrance, Ye Tinglan frowned. Before he could speak, the woman who had been resisting in his arms suddenly pressed herself against his waist, and her delicate voice rang out.
"Mmm—"
Qin Rulian had already pressed her ear to the door. She naturally didn't miss this sound.
Hearing it, her body stiffened violently.
A woman?
Why was there a woman in Ye Tinglan's chamber!
She shot an annoyed glance and immediately pushed the door open without a second thought.
"Tinglan Gege, I'm coming in."
The bed was directly facing the door, and the inner door was not closed.
Before her words had even finished, she saw the soft, yielding figure in Ye Tinglan's embrace. Qin Rulian's body froze, and her face instantly turned pale.
"Tinglan Gege, you..."
Feng Yinwan's face was buried against Ye Tinglan's chest, so she couldn't see clearly who it was. But... Ye Tinglan's expression clearly showed his tacit approval!
How could this be? Didn't he hate women the most...?
Ye Tinglan's waist felt ticklish from her closeness. He maintained a tense expression, only just managing not to pull Feng Yinwan away.
He raised his eyes coldly. "What is it?"
She had expected him to offer some explanation, but his opening words were so indifferent.
Qin Rulian's face paled again, her eyes involuntarily welling up with tears.
The warmth against his waist intensified.
Ye Tinglan, preoccupied, was about to dismiss her when a sharp pain suddenly shot through him, and he froze stiffly.
Feng Yinwan had bitten him.
Feng Yinwan hadn't held back with the bite, but through the clothes, it was neither painful nor damaging, lacking any real deterrent.
To Ye Tinglan, it felt less like revenge and more like… flirting.
A dark gleam entered his eyes, and he grasped Feng Yinwan's forearm as a warning.
This woman was becoming increasingly audacious!
Feng Yinwan cried out in pain, gritting her teeth. She immediately tilted her face up charmingly.
"Your Highness, you're hurting me."
This coquettish cry almost broke Ye Tinglan's composure.
However, Qin Rulian's defenses crumbled faster than his.
"Tinglan Gege, who is she?!"
How dare this vixen try to seduce Ye Tinglan, she deserved to die!
Her eyes were filled with anger and malice, but the next moment, the "vixen" turned her head, and it was… Feng Yinwan's face!
Qin Rulian froze on the spot, her shock and disbelief reaching an unbearable peak.
Feng Yinwan, as if only just noticing her, feigned surprise.
"Oh, why is Miss Qin here? Why didn't Your Highness warn me, lest Miss Qin laugh at this consort."
She pouted and quickly rose from Ye Tinglan's embrace, calmly adjusting her clothes under their watchful eyes.
She had never expected the one seducing Ye Tinglan to be her. Qin Rulian's lips parted a few times before she managed to speak with difficulty.
"Wang... Wangfei had returned to... to the General's manor..."
How could this slut be here!
And in Ye Tinglan's arms!
Feng Yinwan responded indifferently, "Oh, I happened to encounter Your Highness at the Four Seas Cloud Banquet today. This Wangfei was not accustomed to wine. Fortunately, His Highness carried me back."
She deliberately emphasized the word "carried," making Qin Rulian's face turn deathly pale. She wished she could tear Feng Yinwan apart.
The whiter the face of the innocent "white lotus" became, the happier Feng Yinwan felt.
Seeing that the situation was ripe, she curved her lips and, in good spirits, rose. "Since Miss Qin has something to discuss with His Highness, this Wangfei will not disturb you."
She wanted to leave after igniting the fire?
As she spoke, she stepped towards the door, but a force suddenly latched onto her waist.
Ye Tinglan's large hand hooked around her, pulling her back.
Feng Yinwan stumbled back, still reeling from the shock, only to hear him say coldly to Qin Rulian, "We'll discuss this another day."
He was actually dismissing her!
Qin Rulian bit her lip fiercely. Before she could speak, Feng Yinwan spoke first.
"Your Highness, since Miss Qin is here, why bother making another trip? This consort's legs are not valuable. This consort will come again another day!"
As she spoke, she struggled with all her might, completely unaware that she was fanning the flames.
Ye Tinglan's body tensed again. With a dark expression, he pinned her down.
"Be quiet!"
He then looked back at Qin Rulian, his tone forceful and unquestionable.
"You leave first."
In an instant, Qin Rulian's face turned ashen. She covered her face and fled.
Feng Yinwan felt a sense of foreboding. As she raised her eyes, the chamber door was slammed shut with a powerful gust of wind, and silence descended upon the room.
Ye Tinglan's arm was so tight it felt as though her bones would crack.
"Is this what you call being discreet and cautious?"
"Using this Prince as a tool for murder, Feng Yinwan, you have quite a lot of nerve."
The dangerous undertones in his voice made Feng Yinwan feel almost suffocated.
"Your... Your Highness misunderstands. This consort was merely... merely joking with you just now!"
Ye Tinglan's handsome hand forcefully cupped her chin.
"Does Wangfei remember what you just said?"
"'You are discreet and cautious, and this Prince will be self-disciplined and polite.'"
"Since you were not discreet and cautious, then this Prince need not be self-disciplined and polite either."
As he spoke, he leaned in. Feng Yinwan struggled violently but was pinned by her wrists and held above her head.
The pain from before had not yet subsided, and Feng Yinwan, exhausted, directly lost consciousness.
Even in her sleep, her brow remained tightly furrowed due to her discomfort.
Ye Tinglan couldn't help but reach out and smooth it for her.
His jade-white fingertips brushed over the tear tracks near her eyes that had not yet dried, and a subtle tenderness flickered in his eyes.
...
Neither understanding his Prince's intentions nor daring to disturb his Prince's good mood, Qi Xuan stood outside the courtyard, trembling and not daring to leave.
After a long while, the tightly shut chamber door finally opened.
Ye Tinglan emerged, dressed in a moon-white robe, his eyes exuding a graceful and heroic aura.
Most importantly, the way he closed the door was noticeably lighter than usual!
Qi Xuan observed him secretly, his heart filled with awe.
His Highness seemed so radiant, it appeared he had had a very harmonious time with Wangfei. No wonder Miss Qin had run out of the chamber crying earlier.
"Your Highness."
Ye Tinglan, in a good mood, glanced at him indifferently. "Go and receive twenty strikes yourself."
Twenty strikes were as easy as playing for him!
Qi Xuan was overjoyed. "Yes!"
He replied and quickly retreated, his heart filled with admiration.
Wangfei's strength was truly immense!
Ye Tinglan glanced back towards the chamber before stepping out. As he left the courtyard, the corners of his lips couldn't help but curl upwards again.