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Chapitre 6

Rongyue's delinquent-girl demeanor nearly made Chu Xuyao vomit blood! This woman! He truly hated her... He had never hated himself as much as he did today, hated that he didn't have the strength to lift the soft sword and stab her provocative face to pieces!

"Name!" Chu Xuyao spat out the two words through gritted teeth. A gentleman takes his revenge, even after ten years! Women, don't fall into my hands!

"My God, you actually want to hit on girls?! Look at your pathetic self! Tsk tsk, why don't you take a good look at yourself and see if you even have the right to pick up girls..."

The throbbing veins on his forehead betrayed the extent of his anger! Chu Xuyao was completely driven to the brink of collapse by Rong Yue's words! He raised his soft sword, intending to stab Rong Yue's mocking face. However, his will was willing but his strength was lacking; before he could even raise the sword, Rong Yue kicked it far away.

"You think you can kill me with your pathetic appearance?! You're like an ant trying to shake a tree—laughable and overestimating yourself!" With three loud laughs, Rongyue turned and walked out of the alley, feeling utterly satisfied. Bickering really is a great way to vent emotions! The frustration she felt earlier had vanished, and now she felt truly relaxed, refreshed, and exhilarated! Poor thing, who told you to run into my trap? You deserve to be cannon fodder, Amen!

Want to leave?! You'll have to leave your name first! Before Rongyue could take a step, Chu Xuyao swiftly grabbed Rongyue's ankle.

The unfamiliar touch offended Rongyue, and her face immediately turned cold. Without any mercy, she kicked Chu Xuyao in his injured shoulder.

Chu Xuyao groaned and released his grip on her hand.

What free-spiritedness? What carelessness? What nonsense! What bastard said that! She's clearly a vulgar and ignorant woman! Her manners are crude, and her words are filled with obscene and foul language. Even the shrew on the street is a hundred times worse than her! Watching Rongyue's departing figure, Chu Xuyao said hatefully, "Woman, you better pray you don't fall into my hands!"

Volume One: Pear Blossom Courtyard Under the Melting Moon, Chapter Nine: First Glimpse of Talent

*Slap!* Rongyue slapped her forehead, suddenly realizing, "How could I be so foolish! Why didn't I think to go back to the Prince's mansion? Perhaps that boy has already gone back! Even if he hasn't, we can ask the servants in the mansion to help look for him. After all, many hands make light work! It's much better than her being all alone, running around like a headless fly! I'm so worried!"

Not daring to waste a moment, Rongyue quickened her pace, hurrying towards the Prince's mansion under the bright silver moonlight...

"...Where's my wife...? Haven't you found her?! Why aren't you going to look for her?! Go look for her! Hurry up!"

"Your Highness, the Princess Consort is a lucky person and will surely be alright. However, Your Highness has had a long day, so why don't you go back to your room and rest? As soon as there is news of the Princess Consort, this old servant will immediately inform Your Highness..."

"It's getting dark, will my wife be scared...? My wife is timid, she'll cry... No, I have to go..."

"Ah? Your Highness, please don't! It's so dark, what if something happens to you..."

"Make way! Make way! Let me go! I need to go!! Let me out, I need to find my wife..."

"Your Highness, please have mercy on this servant..."

From afar, Rongyue could hear Dongfang Yao's commotion and Liu Fu's helpless pleas for mercy.

So he really had returned to the manor. Thank goodness, he was alright! Rongyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief, lifted her skirt, stepped over the threshold, and entered the manor.

"Ah, Your Highness, Your Highness! Your Highness, Your Highness is back! Your Highness is back!! Your Highness—" The gatekeeper was overjoyed to see Rongyue return to the mansion. He didn't even bother to bow and ran off to inform Dongfang Yao while shouting.

"My wife's back?! Where is she? Where is she?!"

“Here…” Rongyue replied weakly as she stepped into the room, utterly exhausted.

"Wife—" Upon seeing Rongyue, Dongfang Yao's eyes lit up immediately. He rushed towards Rongyue with great joy, picked her up around the waist, and spun her around several times.

Lazily wrapping her arms around Dongfang Yao's neck, leaning against his strong chest and listening to his powerful heartbeat, Rongyue didn't want to do anything right now. She just wanted to lean on him and sleep, because she was really sleepy.

"Wife, where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you, I thought you were never coming back..."

"It's all because of you... Sigh, Yao-gege, don't run around like that anymore, you hear me!" If it weren't for him, would she be as exhausted as a dog now!

"Your Highness, how dare you speak to the Prince like this? This is extremely disrespectful..."

"How I speak to the Prince is none of your business, you lowly servant! Liu Fu, don't rely on your seniority to act arrogantly and push your luck! Remember, a servant is a servant, and will never fear his master! Think before you speak, what you should say and what you shouldn't! I, Rongyue, don't consider myself a pushover; I'm meticulous and vengeful, but I'm not unreasonable! I won't offend others unless they offend me, but if they do, I'll retaliate tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold, even ten thousandfold! If someone treats me with respect, I'll treat them tenfold. Liu Fu, do you understand?" If I don't teach him a lesson, he'll really think I'm a pushover! Liu Fu, you're smart enough to listen to my advice today, so don't oppose me anymore. Otherwise, hmph, I, Rongyue, don't mind telling you why flowers are so red!

"Yes, yes, this servant... This servant will remember the Princess's teachings and hopes that Your Highness will forgive my rudeness. This servant will serve Your Highness faithfully from now on..." He had never seen such a terrifying woman! Her sharp, piercing eyes, her icy tone, and the chilling aura emanating from her—Liu Fu, kneeling on the ground, his face deathly pale, had never hated himself so much. He hated himself for misjudging her, for seeing this dangerous woman as a helpless rabbit! A rabbit? She was no rabbit; she was a fierce and cunning leopard! This woman was no ordinary woman; he should have realized it sooner! The young prince was capricious and willful. Aside from himself and his birth mother, the Empress Dowager, who had he ever listened to? Yet this woman, after only a few days, had already won him over completely, making him obedient and never once raising her voice or throwing a tantrum! How could such a woman be ordinary? I've lived to this age and I still lack even this basic tact! I want to slap myself a few times! Hopefully, it's not too late to mend my ways...

Glancing sideways at Liu Fu, who was curled up on the ground, somewhat trembling, Rong Yue awkwardly touched her face, thinking to herself: Am I really that terrifying? To have frightened such a cunning and wicked servant into such a state in an instant? And even to the point of instantly switching sides and stating my position? Could it be a delaying tactic? Or is it a deliberate illusion he created to deceive me, to make me lower my guard so he can take advantage of the situation?

He glanced suspiciously at Liu Fu, who was still lying on the ground. He saw a look of remorse on his face, as if he regretted his actions. Cold sweat was dripping from his forehead, and his body was trembling uncontrollably... Judging from his appearance, he really didn't seem to be faking it...

Before Rongyue could think it through, Dongfang Yao tugged at her sleeve, looking at Liu Fu on the ground with some pity: "Wife, please help Steward Liu up. He knows he was wrong..."

"Oh, Butler Liu, please rise! I've received your sincerity; I hope you remember what you said today!" Whether your intentions are genuine or not, just don't try anything funny with me in the future! Otherwise…

"Butler Liu, don't you dare make my wife angry again! Do you hear me?!"

"Yes, yes, this servant obeys!" Even if he had ten times the courage, he would never dare to do it again!

"Liu Fu, give the order: this matter must not be publicized today... Hmm, if anyone asks, and we can't avoid it, then... say that a maidservant went missing from the Prince's residence, and the Prince is furious and has sent people to search for her! Liu Fu, do you understand?" The unfortunate man's demeanor suggested he wasn't an ordinary person. Such humiliation today would surely not be forgotten! If he were to follow the trail and find their way to their door, it wouldn't be ordinary trouble! Sigh, I never thought I could be so impulsive and reckless!

"Yes, this old servant understands."

"Alright, you can go now..."

She was utterly exhausted! After being carried to bed by Dongfang Yao, she didn't even bother to utter a single word and drifted off to sleep in no time. Before falling asleep, she seemed to hear Dongfang Yao mutter softly: "My wife is so different today... that look in her eyes is so scary, just like when my brother is angry..."

Volume One: Pear Blossom Courtyard, Melting Moon, Chapter Ten: Snowflake Silk

"If I ever find out which reckless scoundrel dared to lay a hand on you, I'll skin him alive, tear him to pieces, and execute him a thousand times over!" The deep sword wound on Chu Xuyao's shoulder chilled Dongfang Lie to the bone. His eyes grew even colder, and his hand gripping the dragon throne trembled slightly from the excessive force. So close, so very close, I almost lost my good brother forever…

Realizing Dongfang Lie's inner fear, Chu Xuyao knew his childhood friend was worried about him, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. His expression softened slightly, and he waved to Dongfang Lie, indicating he was alright. If it weren't for that daring traitor, with his skills, even ten times as many men in black wouldn't have been able to harm him, Chu Xuyao! It was just a pity that the traitor died too easily! If he hadn't been momentarily distracted, allowing her to commit suicide, with his methods, he would have made her suffer every imaginable form of torture before kindly letting her die! He never showed mercy to those who betrayed him…

"By the way, Xuyao, didn't you say you were rescued? Where is that person now? I must go and thank him in person! If it weren't for him, I would regret it for the rest of my life..." Dongfang Lie, who was still feeling relieved, did not notice that Chu Xuyao's expression had changed.

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it, because mentioning it stirred up Chu Xuyao's painful and humiliating memories! That damned woman! He wouldn't let her go; he'd dig her out even if he had to dig three feet into the ground!

"Dongfang Lie, take a look at this material. Isn't it the snowflake silk that the Northern Kingdom of Louyu presented as tribute a few days ago?" Chu Xuyao asked Dongfang Lie, who was standing beside him, as he pulled out a piece of snow-white silk from his sleeve.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Louyu Kingdom is renowned throughout the world for its silks, especially its snowflake silk. A few days ago, Louyu Kingdom sent an envoy to the Eastern Dynasty, presenting over a thousand bolts of snowflake silk as a token of eternal friendship. Why is Xuyao suddenly asking about this now…?

"That's good." Chu Xuyao smiled sinisterly. Woman, you can't escape this time!

Having known each other for over a decade, this was the first time Dongfang Lie had ever seen Chu Xuyao display such a sinister expression. That expression was truly chilling! Enough to give him nightmares for three days straight!

"Who did you give those snowflake silks to?" Chu Xuyao's sudden question interrupted Dongfang Lie, who was still in shock.