Chapter 77 Punishment and Reward: The news brought back by Xiangxing surprised Jiang Zhuoying...

The news that Xiangxing brought back shocked Jiang Zhuoying. She hadn't expected Qi Fan to act so quickly!

Just yesterday, Jiang Ying was welcomed back to the mansion, and today Zhao was captured.

Hearing that it was Eunuch Liu, sent by the Emperor, who brought Gu Yunci, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, directly to the mansion and took Zhao away!

"Miss, you...you didn't see...that scene just now..."

Xiangxing was hunched over, panting heavily, and speaking in fits and starts; he was clearly exhausted.

Jiang Zhuoying froze on the spot, glanced at the letters on the table again, pulled Xiangxing's hand to make her sit down, and asked impatiently.

"Did they say why they took her away?"

Xiangxing shook his head: "No, even the Duke was alarmed. Lord Gu and Eunuch Liu went to Ninghui Hall to talk with the Duke, and then left with Madam Zhao."

Jiang Zhuoying nodded blankly, then suddenly remembered something and stood up: "I'll go to Ninghui Hall right now."

...

After an incense stick had burned, Jiang Zhuoying was stopped at the door by Steward Zhang, who said that the Duke had already retired for the night.

She glanced at the sky, understood the situation, and did not insist. After inquiring about the old Duke's health, she left Ninghui Hall.

Xiangxing and Xiangyue followed closely behind her.

"Miss, shall we go back to the courtyard?"

Jiang Zhuoying shook her head and quickened her pace: "Go prepare the carriage, we're going to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to find Jiang Ying."

Fu Ce must know what happened; she has to find out the truth no matter what.

"yes!"

...In this hasty trip, Jiang Zhuoying only brought two maids and Wujiu. Wujiu rode the horse outside, while Xiangyue and Xiangxing accompanied her inside the carriage.

It was the hour of You (5-7 PM), the time for dinner, and there were many people on the streets. In order to get to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion as quickly as possible, Wujiu drove the carriage into a small alley, hoping to take a shortcut.

But soon after the carriage entered the alley, Jiang Zhuoying sensed that something was wrong...

It's so quiet. Even in this alley, it wouldn't be this silent at this hour.

She clutched her chest, and that inexplicable feeling of her heart racing returned.

"Wu Jiu? Let's turn around and take the main road."

"Wu Jiu?"

There was no response from outside the car. The girl clutched her chest and gestured to Xiangyue, who nodded and stepped forward to open the half-open car door.

"Wu Jiu?!"

The scene outside the carriage caused Jiang Zhuoying's pupils to shrink abruptly; Wu Jiu had unknowingly fallen to his side on the wooden board used for controlling the horse.

Xiangxing immediately shielded her and pulled her back, while Xiangyue stepped out of the carriage door to take over driving the horse from Wujiu. However, she had only been out for a few moments when she also collapsed...

Without a driver, the carriage slowed down more and more until it finally came to a complete stop.

Through the gap between the two carriage doors, which were slightly ajar, one could vaguely see a figure sitting on horseback slowly approaching.

Jiang Zhuoying could clearly feel her eyelids growing heavier and heavier, all her strength drained away, and a wave of drowsiness washed over her—

Just before losing consciousness, I seemed to catch a familiar, cool, and sweet scent.

...

"Master...do you really intend to light this incense?"

No one answered, except for a gaze that left no room for argument.

Chu Yixin twitched her lips and buried her head to light the incense.

Why bother? Look at how concerned my master is, it's heartbreaking. What good will it do me?

As wisps of smoke rose, he fanned them with his hand and then respectfully withdrew from the room.

The man held the petite body in his arms; the softness in his arms seemed boneless, and she leaned against him, her slender waist barely the size of a palm.

His eyes were cold and gloomy, and his rough fingertips lightly traced the corner of her lips: "Now I know what A-Zhu cares about most?"

In her arms, her once relaxed face gradually wrinkled into a ball, her steady breathing became rapid, and her small hands hanging at her sides clenched involuntarily.

Her tightly closed eyes gradually moistened, and her pink lips emitted intermittent moans of pain.

Seeing the little girl bite her lips hard, her pink lips gradually turning pale, the man who had been staring at her without blinking finally frowned and reached out to pinch her chin.

Who did you see?

His obscure and deep gaze was fixed on the two slightly parted lips, and he could clearly see the softness inside and the glistening moisture clinging to them.

"Mother, Mother..."

The man paused, his voice softening slightly: "Anything else?"

"Father, Father, and Chengyun..."

After a moment of silence, the pressure on her chin suddenly increased, causing Jiang Zhuoying to cry out in pain.

The gentle tone had turned cold and stern: "Cheng Yun?"

A self-mocking glint flashed in his dark, gloomy eyes. It wasn't Fu Ce, it was Cheng Yun.

The girl in his arms was still murmuring, "Chengyun, Chengyun..."

The man narrowed his eyes, then leaned down and silenced the chattering little mouth with a swift and irresistible kiss, leaving her restless and unable to sleep...

After a long while, when he straightened up, the soft, weak murmurs he had heard earlier were gone, replaced by soft, shallow panting.

The man, having tasted the sweetness of her newfound pleasure, was in a good mood. He gently rubbed her red lips and asked casually, "And who is Chengyun?"

"Waaah... Mother, a big tiger is biting Ah Zhuo..."

Jiang Zhuoying cried bitterly, and large tears streamed down her previously wet eyes.

Qi Fan casually wiped her face, patted her cheek, and said in a cold tone, "If you don't answer well, I'll keep biting you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt the stiff body in his arms, and the little girl's voice became timid: "...It's my younger brother."

Qi Fan's fingertips paused slightly. His younger brother?

Jiang Zheng had a son named Jiang Jinran, presumably with the courtesy name Chengyun?

Receiving the unexpected answer, Qi Fan felt much relieved. Looking at the little girl in his arms, who was frowning and sobbing even with her eyes closed, he finally took pity on her and changed her position to be more comfortable. He then took out the handkerchief from her waist and wiped away her tears.

A beautiful young girl sobbed with her eyes closed, so heartbroken she looked as if she were about to faint. Anyone who saw her would find it hard not to feel pity.

But Qi Fan was no ordinary man. He patiently wiped away her tears, but they seemed to never be wiped away, constantly overflowing from the corners of her eyes...

The wrinkles between the man's brows became more and more pronounced. Finally, his patience ran out. He casually threw away the tear-soaked handkerchief, grabbed her chin, and spoke coldly.

"If you keep crying, do you want to be bitten again?"

The girl suddenly froze in place, and her sobbing stopped instantly.

Qi Fan pursed his lips slightly, leaned back on the pillow with satisfaction, and the girl in his arms fell into his embrace as he moved.

With a soft moan, he frowned and pinched the space between his eyebrows.

His narrow eyes were bloodshot, his temples throbbed, and his head felt heavy and swollen. He couldn't remember the last time he had closed his eyes.

Even when extremely tired, it's hard to fall asleep.

The moment I close my eyes, that beautiful oval face involuntarily appears in my mind.

The girl was well-behaved and timidly called him "Second Prince Brother." Before he could respond, the girl suddenly burst into tears and sobbed.

She asked him why he hadn't come to save her sooner.

The man slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, unconsciously increasing the pressure under his palm, his voice deep and muffled: "If you dare to run again, I'll cripple your legs."

Apart from the slowly rising and spreading wisps of smoke, the room was completely silent.

Qi Fan lowered his dark eyes, only able to see the top of the little girl's black hair.

He raised his hand and pinched her chin. The moment the girl looked up, her face was already flushed red.

The man's face darkened abruptly, and he pinched her cheeks harder with his fingertips: "Inhale."

Looking into his peach blossom eyes, tears welled up in her eyes, filled with stubbornness.

Qi Fan narrowed his eyes and scoffed, "You certainly have some nerve."

Before his mumbled words had even finished, he pressed his lips against hers. With his deliberate guidance, Jiang Zhuoying finally regained her breathing.

Her small face was as red as a peach blossom, still flushed, but not as red as before, which was caused by deliberately holding her breath.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were blurry with tears. Even if the person in front of her had a heart of stone, she could be softened.

She had held her breath for quite a while, and now she was breathing heavily, her chest heaving noticeably...

The man glanced at the burning incense burner, then pinched the soft cheek beneath his fingers: "Why are you holding your breath?"

The little girl in my arms hummed softly, "Don't cry, don't get bitten by the bugs."

Qi Fan pursed his lips, his gaze turning meaningful as he lowered his eyes again.

"who I am?"

"...Second Prince, a cold-faced demon with mediocre talent who is utterly useless!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her lips fell into someone's mouth once again...

Jiang Zhuoying frowned, staring intently at the stern-faced man with deep, unsmiling features: "You..."

"It's punishment," the man explained, his face stern, as he gently rubbed the corner of her lips with his fingertips.

punish?

The girl frowned even more, still trying to figure out why He Yao had punished her, when another question about her came along.

Why did you approach me?

Jiang Zhuoying bit her lip, a hint of disdain in her eyes as she looked at the other person: "Of course, it's to get close to you, to use you to gather information about the manor, and to avenge my mother!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her lips were gently bitten again...

The man explained with a stern face, "It's also a punishment."

Why did you leave so suddenly?

The girl covered her lips and said without hesitation, "Of course I know the truth, I must hurry back to the manor to make arrangements and avenge my mother!"

The man closed his eyes, his breathing quickening. This time, he held the sweet girl in his arms tightly and ravaged her...

When he straightened up again, the girl in his arms had tears glistening in her eyes: "Is this also... punishment?"

...

After asking countless questions, the man's face turned ashen, and the veins on his forehead throbbed from time to time, pulling at some nerve.

Suppressing his splitting headache, he glanced at the panting girl in his arms, his dark eyes fixed on her every move: "Does A-Zhuo have someone she likes?"

"The person you admire?"

Because of the fragrance, the girl was unaware of the changes in the person in front of her. When she heard the question, she tried her best to answer it.

Qi Fan glanced at the bewildered girl, his heart pounding rapidly...

He lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions within, gave a self-deprecating laugh, and then his gaze turned sharp.

So what if I have it? So what if I don't?

"Second Prince, brother..."

The soft, gentle tone suddenly pulled him back to reality, and the man lowered his eyes with a blank expression.

"...Me, the one I love."

"Hmm?" The man's pupils dilated slightly.

"Oh dear..." The little girl blushed and glanced at him, "My beloved should be the Second Prince, right?"

Before she could finish speaking, the large hand behind her neck suddenly tightened its grip, pulling her forward...

Jiang Zhuoying quickly covered her lips, her voice both panicked and urgent: "I...I don't want to be punished anymore..."

With undeniable force, he pushed away her hands that were covering her lips, and his tone left no room for argument: "It's not punishment, it's a reward."

"award?"

As their peach blossom eyes widened, their lips pressed together, grinding and rubbing against each other...

As for why the little girl's answer contained uncertainties, he could ignore it.

He believed her as long as she said it.