Chapter 67 Longing Spreads, Leaning In to Seal Lips

On the way to be summoned to the emperor, Wei Xichen felt suffocated, as if a golden thread was strangling his throat, making it difficult to breathe.

The Crown Prince, whom many regard as an unattainable figure, is on the verge of being swallowed by miasma.

Upon entering the Imperial Study, the strong scent of ambergris assaulted the nostrils like miasma.

Wei Xichen stepped into the palace gate, and as the gate closed, the winter sunlight that shone on him dissipated.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty."

"Someone just delivered a message that my son, for the sake of a woman, has disregarded the dignity of a crown prince and lost all sense of propriety, which is quite a blow to my confidence. If my heir, whom I have personally groomed, had any sense of the bigger picture, he would not be swayed by love and affection."

On the imperial desk, a seven-inch and six-tenths-inch ruler was placed brightly next to the imperial seal.

Wei Xichen silently stepped forward, knelt down, and accepted his father's "earnest teachings".

The sound of whipping continued incessantly.

Wei Xichen's lowered gaze fell upon the exquisite patterns of the emperor's dragon robe, but in a daze, specks of plum red fell on the bright yellow patterns. He looked up in surprise and saw the emperor tilting his head back and covering his nose.

"Father?"

"fine!"

Emperor Shunren took two steps back, slumped onto the dragon throne, and wiped the continuous nosebleed with his sleeve.

"Step back."

Wei Xichen, who was about to step forward, was stopped by an imperial decree. In the dim light of the closed doors and windows, he retreated step by step. As he turned around, his eyes revealed a sharp edge.

In a secluded little house, the old doctor, who had received a message from his informant, sat down in front of a small red clay stove to warm a pot of wine. He said to Wei Qin, who was far away from the stove, "Young Master, what do you think the Crown Prince will do?"

"Mobilize the twelve guards to use for our own purposes."

The Twelve Upper Guards were imperial guards directly led by Emperor Shunren. With this formidable barrier, the emperor could rest easy, no matter how many ambitious ministers there were.

But even the strongest fortifications are built on the hearts of the people. Once the leaders realize that Emperor Shunren's health is deteriorating day by day, they may choose to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

The crown prince is the best choice, and the popular choice.

The old doctor handed over a cup of warm wine. "Should we try to stop them?"

Wei Qin took it, pinched the rim of the cup, and said, "Let out the long line first."

The Crown Prince would not openly summon all the commanders of the Twelve Guards; he would surely observe the Emperor's condition first and then proceed cautiously.

They remained inactive, planning for the long term, waiting for the emperor to notice the crown prince's subtle movements before taking action.

The emperor, who was intolerant of any wrongdoing, would never allow himself to be betrayed by a prince. However, as his health deteriorated and his authority diminished, he could no longer command the entire Twelve Guards.

By then, the crown prince's threat to the throne would have reached its peak.

The father and son are on the verge of estrangement.

Wei Qin stared at the dark clouds reflected on the surface of the wine, feeling somewhat expectant.

The old doctor took a swig of spicy liquor and made a "hiss" sound.

"By the way, Ge Dalang sent an invitation during the day, inviting the young master to his private school to attend the initiation ceremony for the new students."

Ge Cheng's son was a teacher at a private school, and he must have been grateful to invite Wei Qin.

Witnessing a child's first lessons is full of fun and enjoyment.

Wei Qin took the invitation and held it in his hand.

That evening, Hongmei entered the inner chamber of the back room with Ge Dalang's invitation. "Miss, someone has invited you to attend the initiation ceremony of a private school in a couple of days."

The sickly Jiang Yinyue got up, wrapped in her blanket, looked at the invitation, and pondered.

These days, Ge Cheng, a diligent scholar who has worked hard for thirty years, has become famous. Jiang Yinyue heard about him from her father and also heard about Wei Qin's help for the old scholar.

The fact that Ge Dalang invited her to participate must have been at Wei Qin's behest.

Tomorrow, her father will travel to the prefecture city, which is 300 miles away, to investigate a major case. He repeatedly told her to take it easy, go out more, replenish her yang energy, dispel dampness and cold, and help her blood and qi flow smoothly.

To put it bluntly, he was worried about her and afraid that she would get sick from staying cooped up in the house.

"Accept the invitation for me."

Humans should always strive to live towards the sun and get more exposure to sunlight and rain.

The next morning, as dawn broke, Jiang Song, who was preparing to set off, patiently gave many instructions before leaving the mansion. As he took the horsewhip from the coachman, he suddenly turned around and pinched his daughter's cheek.

"Take care of yourself and wait for Dad to come back. Dad will definitely come back before New Year's Eve to keep you company."

Jiang Taolue coughed beside him.

Jiang Song changed his tune, saying, "Of course I will stay up with my son to celebrate the New Year."

Jiang Yinyue's face ached from her father's rubbing, and her eyes were brimming with tears. "Father, please take good care of yourself on the road."

Jiang Song gazed deeply at his daughter, patted the back of her head, took the riding whip, mounted his horse, and said, "Let's go."

The officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Minister gathered at various crossroads in the city, their formation orderly and their momentum overwhelming.

Two days later, Jiang Yinyue, carrying an invitation, went to the private school where Ge Dalang was studying.

The newly enrolled children, all delicate and pretty, bowed to their teachers, their clear and sweet voices echoing in the courtyard.

This private school is somewhat remote, and there are no children from wealthy or powerful families there. But talent has nothing to do with wealth. Jiang Yinyue looked at them and secretly wished them success in their studies and that they would put their knowledge to good use.

"A formal apprenticeship ceremony? Ha, how grand. You think your impoverished background can produce a top scholar, a second-place scholar, or a third-place scholar? We all come from poor backgrounds, and none of us have ever made it big. Stop dreaming!"

A group of thuggish-looking men swaggered into the courtyard, startling the children who scrambled to hide behind the teacher.

Ge Dalang recognized them as servants of the Guo family and sneered, "Settle your personal scores in private, don't cause trouble at the private school! Is this all the Guo family can do?"

"So what if I cause trouble?" The head henchman casually kicked over a potted plant by the door, then reached out and tugged at the lantern under the eaves. "Do you dare to stop me?"

Enraged, Ge Dalang picked up a broom and swung it at the attacker, only to be knocked down in one move.

Other teachers who went forward to help him up were also knocked down one by one.

The entourage laughed heartily, while the children cried loudly in fear.

Hong Mei tried to step forward, but Jiang Yinyue stopped her.

"Are you Guo Zhenyong's men?"

The head of the entourage searched around the area following the sound before spotting a pretty figure at the second-floor window.

"Yes, what brings you here?"

"I'd like to ask you to pass on a message."

The head of the guards rubbed his chin, brazenly scrutinizing the woman's bright face. "Are you the cook or the proprietress here?"

Jiang Yinyue leaned against the window frame and said, "Please go upstairs first, so as not to frighten the children."

Interesting... Having served his master, the head of the entourage had seen countless beauties, but this was the first time he had ever seen such a fearless and charming woman. He swaggered upstairs and, seeing only two women in the room, spoke with an air of superiority, "What brings you here?"

"Please pass on a message to Guo Zhenyong for me: if he dares to cause trouble for the Ge family again, he will be making an enemy of the Jiang family. We will not cause trouble for the Guo family, but only for him."

"The Jiang family? Which Jiang family?"

There are many families with the surname Jiang.

Jiang Yinyue calmly took out an object and placed it between the man's eyebrows. "Patriarch Jiang Song."

The attendants watching the commotion downstairs were astonished.

"Boss, it's a musket!"

"A musket! How could there be a musket?!"

Startled by the cold muzzle of the gun, the head of the entourage dared not move. Looking at the beautiful woman again, he had already guessed her identity.

This is a little ancestor that even the most纨绔公子弟 (playboys) in the capital city rarely dare to provoke.

"Don't fight, let's talk this out."

Jiang Yinyue pushed the muzzle forward, saying, "Deliver the exact words, not a single word can be wrong."

**

On the way back, Jiang Yinyue did not take a car, but walked with Hong Mei in the sunset.

As they entered a quiet alleyway filled with the aroma of fireworks, Hongmei whispered a warning to Jiang Yinyue that they were being followed.

Jiang Yinyue reached into her left sleeve and instructed, "Sister, please take your men and leave first."

After Hong Mei left, Jiang Yinyue walked alone amidst the wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys of each household. Just as the man approached, she suddenly grabbed his wrist.

A shoulder throw.

It didn't move.

The young woman didn't give up and tried again, managing to pull the man in front of her with difficulty.

"Is the Vice Minister acting suspiciously, plotting something?"

With a gun barrel pressed against his chest, Wei Qin spread his hands and tried to back away until his back hit an old tree.

There was no way to retreat.

Jiang Yinyue concealed the musket with her sleeve, the muzzle pressed precisely against his heart. "Why are you following me?"

Wei Qin explained, "It's on the way."

"It's on the way."

"I want to see Miss."

As soon as he finished speaking, the muzzle of the gun advanced an inch.

Jiang Yinyue glanced at her with a sharp look, "If you keep talking nonsense, believe me, I'll..."

"I want to see Miss."

Wei Qin spoke earnestly, without a trace of teasing or joking. A man who rarely smiles wouldn't be witty; given his aloof nature, he wouldn't have bothered him unless he missed him.

Unwilling to let his few words disturb her hard-won composure, Jiang Yinyue forcefully pushed the musket forward and stabbed it hard in his heart. However, the man's body under his clothes was strong and muscular, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not show any threat.

Threats without murderous intent are ineffective.

Jiang Yinyue, caught in a chaotic situation, gritted her teeth, seemingly about to pull the trigger.

It ignited a threatening aura.

"Don't let it happen again."

Wei Qin suddenly grabbed her hand holding the gun and used his thumb to pull the trigger for her.

It would be good to be able to rest in peace in her hands; it would be a way to atone for my sins.

"you!"

As Wei Qin pulled the trigger, Jiang Yinyue hurriedly withdrew her hand, and the musket slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground along the hem of her skirt.

She clenched her fists, filled with resentment and anger, and pounded them repeatedly on Wei Qin's chest. Had he gone mad? Was he not going to take revenge? Who was he trying to fool with this self-inflicted injury?

Wei Qin held her tightly, not allowing her to escape or struggle.

Two figures, close together, entwined beside the old tree.

Wei Qin tightened his arms, pressing his chest down on Jiang Yinyue's waving fist, then turned around and pinned her against the tree trunk.

He leaned in and sealed his lips.

Jiang Yinyue couldn't even utter a sob or a whimper; her jaw ached and she lost her defenses, allowing Wei Qin to conquer her territory.

He missed her so much that he couldn't sleep at night. He wanted to stay wherever she was, even if it meant being an uninvited guest in the back alley of the Jiang residence, standing in the cold wind unnoticed.

"Hmm..."

Jiang Yinyue, who had just caught her breath, couldn't help but groan. She frowned, her delicate face turning pale and then flushed.

Wei Qin's lips carried the scents of tea, wine, and a hint of coolness. This intertwined aroma was familiar, yet the reckless and unrestrained Wei Qin was also unfamiliar.

This is a bustling alleyway where pedestrians pass by at any time, and even if no one does, her female guards are secretly watching.

Her teeth were pried open, and her arms were being choked, but her heart felt no rejection, no disgust.

"ah."

With her waist constricted, Jiang Yinyue involuntarily took a deep breath, her two breasts becoming even more prominent, pressed firmly against Wei Qin.

Her lips were sore and numb, and she had difficulty breathing. Jiang Yinyue whimpered in pain before she could catch her breath.

Wei Qin released her lips, but did not let go of her waist, pressing closer and closer, as if this could eliminate the barrier between them.

When did he become so paranoid?

Jiang Yinyue was a little scared and tried to pry his arm off, but when she heard footsteps in the distance, she instinctively dodged away.

She snuggled into Wei Qin's arms.

Wei Qin shielded her with his wide sleeves, his infatuated phoenix eyes returning to normal as his consciousness returned. With his other hand, he cupped the back of Jiang Yinyue's head through his wide sleeves, gently stroking it with a soothing touch.

As passersby walked by, he gave them a cold, indifferent look, which startled them into quickly walking past.