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"Why did you come looking for me if I wasn't going to look for you?"

Tang Leyan moved three feet away from the femme fatale, and only spoke when she felt he wouldn't pounce on her.

Chu Gexing remained unfazed. With a flick of his hand, he slowly unfurled the cloak behind him, then stepped back and sat on the long couch in the room. He casually stretched out one leg and placed it on the couch without any regard for his image, leaning his body at an angle in a relaxed and languid manner. He laughed and said, "Let's build rapport and, incidentally, settle scores."

"That's a really rare way of putting it." Tang Leyan glanced at him, feeling that there was something hidden behind this man's smile.

He couldn't help but take another step back.

“My dear junior sister, if you retreat any further, you’ll be leaving the house.” Chu Gexing reached out and picked up a teacup from the table next to him. There was also a small plate of delicate pastries on the table.

"Why are there tea and snacks here?" Tang Leyan asked in surprise.

"Of course, it was all arranged long ago," he replied slowly.

This is the same room where he "taught her a lesson" last time. I remember it was just an empty room, how did it become Chu Gexing's private torture chamber?

"There's no need to build up our relationship. Our relationship is already 'good'," Tang Leyan frowned. "What do you mean by 'coming to interrogate'? Just say it."

"Don't you understand?" He smiled, a little tea on his lips making the color even more vibrant, like a ripe fruit, tempting one to taste it.

Tang Leyan snorted, then leaned against the door, took out a small fan from her sleeve, and gently fanned herself.

"You're clearly dying of curiosity," Chu Gexing chuckled, seeing right through her thoughts.

"I'm busy. If you have something to say, say it. If not, I'm leaving." Her eyes flashed like lightning as she looked at his face.

"After the incident at the Meridian Gate, I warned you to keep your people in check. I wonder if you heard me, Leyan."

"Do you want to investigate the matter of Xiao Di's fight with you this time?" Tang Leyan stopped fanning herself, slowly closed her fan, and tapped it in her palm.

“Clever! This lad has offended me time and time again. If I don’t punish him, next time…”

“I have already taught him a lesson, and there will absolutely be no next time.”

"Really?" Chu Gexing's lips curled up. "You're willing to 'teach him a lesson'?"

"This is none of Lord Chu's business."

"Speaking of which, why are you standing so far away from me? Come closer."

"No need, I'm afraid that if I get too close, Lord Chu's radiance will blind me."

"You're so modest, Leyan."

"If there is nothing else, then I shall take my leave."

"I am so unapproachable in your eyes."

"Since you already know, why ask the obvious?"

"Leyan, how about we make a bet?"

"Gambling? I'm not interested."

"You'll lose if you don't bet with me."

"What are you trying to say?" Tang Leyan frowned, looking at him. "Lord Chu, you wouldn't be here just to vent your frustrations on me, would you?"

"I just want to see how much you care about that kid," Chu Gexing chuckled softly. "What do you think?"

Tang Leyan's expression changed: "What do you mean by that?"

"Leyan, do you think I'm the kind of person who would suffer a loss without uttering a sound?"

"Of course not, you're the kind of person who will make a big fuss about it as soon as you suffer a loss."

"Ha, though harsh, it does indeed resemble my style."

Tang Leyan coughed: "In this world, there aren't many people who can make Lord Chu suffer a loss. You're worrying unnecessarily."

Chu Gexing shook his head slightly: "No, no, I have been provoked by one of your men in close combat time and again. You know, I have lost face."

"Such a trivial matter, how could you take it to heart, as the saying goes: A prime minister's belly can hold a boat."

"You should say that to the Grand Councilor."

Tang Leyan raised her eyes: "Your words seem to have a deeper meaning."

"Slept at the Military Intelligence Bureau overnight?" he asked casually.

“…You…” She bit her lip, knowing he was about to continue, and asked, “So what if I am?”

"How about spending the night at my Nine Gates Admiral's Mansion?" (smiles)

"Don't be unreasonable."

"You said I'm someone who doesn't suffer losses."

"You have an excellent and very good memory, that's for sure."

"Well... I can tell you that although I was repeatedly provoked by someone who got close to me, I didn't suffer any losses."

"Um?"

“Leyan,” the man stood up, stretched out his arm, and stood up from the bed with a swift movement, “Someone from Mingzhou has come. I need to strengthen the defense of the capital region. The Nine Gates are not manpower enough. Would you be willing to come and help me?”

Tang Leyan shuddered: "This humble official knows that I am incompetent and only know how to cause trouble, and I am not up to the task."

"What if I insist that you come?"

Don't even think about it.

"Hahaha……"

"why are you laughing."

He didn't answer, but strode towards the door.

He walked to the door, opened it, and the wind rushed in, making his cloak flutter wildly. The white down along the peacock blue edge moved in tiny, scattered patterns, making his face look even more like jade. He turned his head to the side, lowered his eyes, and said, "Tomorrow, you will come to beg me yourself."

Looking at his arrogant attitude, Tang Leyan really wanted to kick him.

After thinking for a moment, he snorted, "If you're going to brag too much, you might break down."

"This is the bet between us. Remember, if you come tomorrow, you'd better stay at my Nine Gates Admiral's Mansion for the night."

Chu Gexing smiled faintly, her slender eyebrows twitching slightly; this small gesture exuded a myriad of charms.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Banquet

After leaving the palace, Tang Leyan felt increasingly uneasy.

First he quickened his pace, and then, disregarding everything, he used his lightness skill to flash across the Vermilion Bird Road in Shundu.

She rushed into the mansion, where a servant was dusting a speck of dust off a corner of a table with a feather duster. Tang Leyan slipped in and asked, "Where's Xiao Di?"

“He’s in the backyard.” Shi Shu was startled, then quickly replied.

Tang Leyan turned around, but she had already disappeared through the doorway.

Shi Shu frowned, staring at the disappearing figure with suspicion and uncertainty: "Could it be... that something is wrong?"

He placed the feather duster on the table and followed them out.

Tang Leyan ran to the backyard, but no one was there.

Just as they were getting anxious, they heard the door open and Xiao Di came out.

Her hair was wet, her face was dripping with water, and her complexion was so pale that her eyes appeared even darker.

Tang Leyan stepped forward and grabbed his hand: "You... what's wrong?" Her voice was trembling slightly.

"You just took a shower, what are you saying?" Xiao Di asked curiously, while pushing Tang Leyan's hand away.

She frowned and reached back to cut his wrist.

There was nothing unusual.

Tang Leyan let go, staring at the boy in front of her, remaining silent for a long time.

Xiao Di looked at her: "What's wrong? It's been a long time since I've seen you so panicked? Are you worried about me? Heh, you underestimate me. My master personally taught me martial arts. You don't believe in my strength? Oh... are you afraid I'll suffer a loss?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Leyan's expression softened, and she said gently, "How could I not believe you? I was just... confused because I was worried."

“Yes, you know that concern can cloud judgment, so calm yourself down and don’t panic.” Xiao Di took two steps forward, away from her, and said, “Didn’t you say you were going out to investigate today? There’s still news from Mo Hua. You shouldn’t be focusing your attention on trivial matters.”

His voice was calm, unlike that of a young man in his early twenties.

After he finished speaking, his slender figure strode forward, already up the corridor, and slowly disappeared.

Tang Leyan watched his retreating figure and noticed that his collar was also soaked. She couldn't help but smile and said, "It's just a bath, yet you act like a little kid, making water everywhere."

He shook his head and sighed, "It's good that you're alright."

Turning around, he thought: Could it be that Chu Gexing, that fiend, is just playing tricks on me this time?

※※※※※

That night, the Grand Councilor of Shundu hosted a banquet for the envoy from Mingzhou.

In the darkness, only a figure could be seen wearing a light blue robe, loosely cut but with an extremely simple design, and a large black hat on his head with a black ribbon tied around his neck, which looked like the felt hat worn by Shunmin on rainy days.

The envoy swaggered in, and Chu Zhen, the Grand Secretary of the Military Council, bowed and let him in.

The two parties took their seats in the living room, one as host and the other as guests.

"Your Excellency has come from afar, you must be tired, please." The Grand Councilor raised his wine glass.

The man smiled and said, "No problem, no problem, you're too kind. Please, Your Excellency."

He speaks Chinese very fluently.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone who was supposed to show up did.

The envoy from Mingzhou, named Han Haojun, was saying at that moment, "The goods of Shundu are indeed abundant, but they are still not as delicious as those of my Mingzhou."

"Oh?" The Grand Secretary remained noncommittal.

"For example, these peanuts don't taste quite as good as the ones from Mingzhou."

Chu Zhen pretended not to hear and continued drinking.

Tang Leyan stood to the side, almost yawning incessantly.

She didn't have to come, but because she still had doubts about this iron-willed Grand Secretary, she volunteered to protect the Grand Secretary on behalf of the Emperor.

The emperor was very surprised, because this man always left on time and never worked overtime, and he had never seen him volunteer for this before.