Chapter 570: From interrogation to seduction
Han Yunxi looked at Long Feiye, not knowing what to say. Making the ruler of an entire nation apologize to a single woman seemed almost impossible! But here it was going to happen right before her eyes.
Emperor Kang Cheng would never let them leave just like that, nor was he stupid enough to send Duanmu Baiye to apologize in person. Thus, the only option was for the emperor himself to meet them. The only way to get them to stay would be to apologize. Otherwise, why would they?
Am I happy?
Han Yunxi had already been happy for awhile now. Once she understood Long Feiye’s plan meant to trick Duanmu Baiye, not show preference for Duanmu Yao, she stopped feeling sad. Her heart wasn’t that weak. It was worth enduring that verbal abuse just to thoroughly teach Duanmu Baiye a lesson and cripple the Chu Clan’s source of support. Of course, she still had to ascertain some things about Duanmu Yao before Emperor Kang Cheng caught up to them. She might not have known them in the past, but it was better to clear the air now than keep them buried uncomfortably in her heart.
She could admit she was pretty petty when it came to things like this. She’d haggle over every little detail!
“Long Feiye, you came to White City when you were only seven or eight years old?” Han Yunxi took an indirect approach, but Long Feiye had already learned his lesson after eating her vinegar-infused pastries and knew exactly what she was aiming at.
“Once you get off Celestial Mountain, you have to go past Western Zhou before reaching Tianning Country. That time, Duanmu Yao and I came down together, so while pa.s.sing by her home I went to pay respects to Emperor Kang Cheng. It wasn’t a special trip just to bring her back,” Long Feiye explained clearly.
Still, women wouldn’t be satisfied with just a simple explanation, even if it was completely reasonable. Either they’d ask no questions at all, or ask no end of them.
“So Emperor Kang Cheng had his eye on you even back then? To make you his son-in-law?” Han Yunxi teased.
Long Feiye’s eternally unchanging ice face seemed to turn a bit awkward at her words. This was the first time someone had been so blunt about asking him these things. He stared out the window before muttering in a low voice, “Hn.”
“Why didn’t you agree back then? Even generations of my Han Clan can’t compare to the strength behind Duanmu Yao,” Han Yunxi put on a jealous tone on purpose.
But Long Feiye only turned back and challenged, “How did you know your lords.h.i.+p didn’t agree back then?”
Han Yunxi grew dumbfounded…
Long Feiye examined her from head to foot before finally drawling, “You’re the daughter of a first wife from the Poison Sect. Your lords.h.i.+p didn’t suffer any losses by marrying you, either.”
Han Yunxi grew incensed. “You!”
Long Feiye didn’t explain a word, but simply stared at her. Han Yunxi’s determination to scold him turned into ridicule on his part instead. It was impossible to continue the topic any further, so Han Yunxi tried something else. “How long did Duanmu Yao stay with you on Celestial Mountain? How in the world did you guys end up being childhood sweethearts?”
Now Long Feiye turned earnest. “That year, master started taking in disciples. For the sake of drawing Celestial Mountain to their side, various imperial clans sent their princes and princesses to the mountain for consideration in a compet.i.tion. There were hundreds of children, but master only picked me and her. After we made our formal bows and officially recognized him as our master, we spent half a year in Celestial Mountain before going back to our countries. There would be scheduled times when we went back up to learn swordsmans.h.i.+p. We didn’t have many chances to meet, maybe one or two times where we were there simultaneously.”
In truth, Duanmu Yao had clung to Long Feiye from the first moment she saw him. Once she went home, she’d sought out information about him from every possible corner so that she could tell when he was going back to train and match with his schedule. After b.u.mping into her “by chance” a couple of times, Long Feiye started avoiding her on purpose unless he had no choice. He couldn’t arrange his schedule otherwise, or else he’d definitely wait until Duanmu Yao left the mountain before taking his turn to train there.
“So after those couple of chance meetings, you two started cultivating together? She…used to chase after you everyday?” Han Yunxi asked, still using her envious tone.
Here was a woman’s petty heart!
When she loved a man, she’d rather his entire life only belong to her. Even the memories of his childhood weren’t spared. Before Long Feiye could even reply, Han Yunxi added, “Long Feiye, say…why didn’t I meet you earlier?”
Long Feiye looked at her before absently brus.h.i.+ng her hair aside. “I’ve…thought the same!”
If I had met this woman earlier, maybe my last twenty some years wouldn’t have been so lonely?
The two of them met gazes and came to yet another tacit understanding. Long Feiye leaned close, almost ready to kiss her, but Han Yunxi pushed him away from her lips. “I haven’t finished my questions yet!”
Long Feiye put on a wry smile. He never expected that he’d come to a day when he tried to trick a woman into a kiss.
“Your master likes Duanmu Yao a lot, right?” Han Yunxi had now reached the critical question.
Long Feiye nodded before adding, “A lot.”
“Then why did he just let you protect her until she was 18? Why not make it a lifetime?” Han Yunxi asked, depressed.
A complicated look flickered past Long Feiye’s eyes, but it quickly disappeared. “Maybe you could ask him when we go up Celestial Mountain next year.”
Han Yunxi rolled her eyes at him. An answer like that doesn’t address the question at all!
“Does your master know she likes you?” she asked next.
Long Feiye grew awkward again and pulled Han Yunxi into his lap with an aggressive tone. “All you have to remember is that your lords.h.i.+p doesn’t like her. Why care about everyone else?”
“So you master does know, then?” Han Yunxi looked up at him, but Long Feiye just pressed her face back against his chest again.
“Your lords.h.i.+p only likes you.”
Han Yunxi slapped his hand aside. “Your master knows she likes you, so would he…”
But before she could finish, Long Feiye had pressed his lips against hers and eaten up all her words.
“Mmm…unhh…” Han Yunxi pounded his chest a few times, but couldn’t budge the man. She had to admit, this was the first time she felt so clear-headed despite his bullying. In the end, she ended up clenching her teeth against him to refuse, but the naughty Long Feiye only moved his broad hands restlessly over her chest. This wasn’t the first time, but it still startled Han Yunxi.
While she was still reeling, Long Feiye’s hands slipped easily inside and started his a.s.sault. Soon enough, both his lips and fingers were tormenting her to a point where she could neither think nor speak, her entire body like putty in his lap.
If Emperor Kang Cheng’s carriage hadn’t come in time, even Long Feiye might have gone to the very end without a second thought.
A bodyguard dressed in civilian clothes first stopped their carriage before Emperor Kang Cheng’s ride drew near. The bodyguard went to their window and said in a low voice, “Your Highness Duke of Qin, my master would like to invite you to the Carefree Restaurant for a cup of tea. I don’t know if you could honor him with your presence?”
Long Feiye knew exactly what was going on. He released Han Yunxi and wiped away any remaining traces of their kiss from his lips. Han Yunxi watched him as she lay across his laps, finding the motion very wicked. Still, she loved it to death. Her eyes rolled around in thought before she revealed a naughty smile. As Long Feiye moved to lift a corner of the window curtain, she promptly undid the ties of his waistband.
The seemingly unmoved Long Feiye’s entire body stiffened to a point where even Han Yunxi could notice. By now, the carriage next to him had opened its window curtain as well, revealing the impressive, dignified visage of Emperor Kang Cheng in plain clothes. He looked at Long Feiye with a stately nod.
Long Feiye had enough self-possession to ignore Han Yunxi and nod expressionlessly back.
Unexpectedly, Han Yunxi’s jade-like fingers actually reached into his clothes and past his inner robes to gently stroke at the fine chest muscles beneath. Long Feiye finally lost his cool and promptly dropped the curtains, leaving both the bodyguard and Emperor Kang Cheng mystified at his actions.
What does the Duke of Qin mean by this? Is he going to Carefree Restaurant or not?
If not, why did he greet us with a nod?
If yes, why did he just drop the curtains without another word?
It’s difficult to read his true intentions!
If they knew the Duke of Qin was currently being seduced by a woman—and to such an extent, too—it’d probably amaze them for three days and three nights!
In the carriage, Long Feiye had long pressed Han Yunxi beneath him and was this close to taking her right then and there. His lips murmured a warning by her ear. “If you’re any naughtier than this, your lords.h.i.+p won’t be polite!”
Because of their proximity to each other, Han Yunxi could clearly feel the scorching heat radiating from his lower body. She thought she wouldn’t get nervous, but she was still as frightened as before. Her entire body was streched taut, too afraid to move a muscle. This wasn’t just any place, but a carriage!
“The people…the people outside are still waiting,” she reminded him timidly.
“So you know as well?” Long Feiye asked coldly.
“I won’t dare to do it again…” Han Yunxi shut her eyes because his gaze looked ready to eat her alive.
Long Feiye exhaled deeply before he straightened up and lifted the curtains again. The people were still waiting since their carriage hadn’t left.
“Your Highness Duke of Qin, shall we go?” the bodyguard asked hastily.
“Lead the way,” Long Feiye’s voice and face were equally cold as he quickly dropped the curtains again.
The bodyguard was left at a loss. This was his first time meeting Tianning’s Duke of Qin, who had been hailed as a literal Ice King of h.e.l.l. Indeed, the him in the flesh was very callous and cold. But besides those two adjectives, he’s also a bit…
The bodyguard couldn’t describe it. He only felt that he’d interrupted the Duke of Qin in the middle of his good business and left the man unhappy. Naturally, he didn’t dare voice such thoughts to Emperor Kang Cheng, so the emperor didn’t think much either. Having the Duke of Qin agree to come along was still within his plans. He just had no idea what would happen after they reached the restaurant.
Currently, Duanmu Baiye was sitting in the same carriage as his father. His head was bowed, and he didn’t even so much as dare to fart. Thank goodness General Chu had reminded him in time to make reservations at Carefree Restaurant so he could atone for his wrongs. Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Although imperial father hadn’t said a word, the fact that he’d agreed to take the Duke of Qin to Carefree Restaurant gave Duanmu Baiye some measure of hope for his own situation. He could only pray that Long Feiye and Han Yunxi wouldn’t be too excessive after they reached the establishment.
By now, Han Yunxi had resumed her seat in the carriage as well, her head also bowed like some sort of criminal. She was even sitting some distance apart from Long Feiye.
Long Feiye was taking deep breaths to suppress the flames of desire that had stirred in his heart. It was a pity that he still had a taboo in place on his body, so he couldn’t begrudge her for her actions. It was the first time he’d both a mixture of love and hate towards a woman.
In the end, he gave her a cold look before…