Inside the dark carriage, Ruan Qing'an sat in Ji Wuyu's lap, while the tall young man looked down at her.

"The most dangerous place is the safest place."

Ji Wuyu answered in a low voice. In the darkness, his dark eyes seemed to reflect Ruan Qing'an's watery eyes. His eyes were filled with lust, and his dark, unfathomable gaze resembled that of a wild beast ready to devour its prey.

Dangerous, chilling, as if you were about to be devoured.

Ruan Qing'an paused, then decisively stood up from Ji Wuyu's embrace and sat down opposite him. Fortunately, he did not stop her.

Green Bamboo stood guard outside the carriage, while the coachman drove leisurely. Since they were all from the Yongle Marquis's residence, it wasn't considered dangerous. Ruan Qing'an then said, "The plan was quite successful, Your Highness."

"indeed."

Ji Wuyu leaned against the window, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed: "If nothing unexpected happens, the Second Prince will not interfere with the Minister of Revenue's affairs, and we can make arrangements for someone."

Ruan Qing'an nodded slightly. The wind was a bit cold, and she huddled up pitifully wrapped in her fox fur. Although she looked sickly and delicate, her words after coughing were ruthless.

She thought for a moment and said, "Father will handle the Minister of Revenue. He can just remove him from office. Your Highness can then arrange your own people to take over."

"However... the Second Prince will probably take notice of you because of this. Since we're already going to take action against him, we might as well go all the way and continue with the rest of the plan."

Ji Wuyu raised an eyebrow: "Take down the Second Prince as well?"

Ruan Qing'an did not answer, but when Ji Wuyu met her gaze, the resolute and decisive meaning in his eyes was tantamount to acquiescence.

For a moment, Ji Wuyu couldn't help but laugh. He actually stood up, half-squatted in front of Ruan Qing'an, supported himself on both sides of her with his hands, and looked at her with a smile in his eyes.

"Qing'an, you are more ruthless than I imagined, actually thinking of simply getting rid of the Second Prince."

"But doesn't His Highness also like this plan?"

Ruan Qing'an straightened up and said without any politeness. The two looked at each other in the darkness, and silence spread, but with a strange understanding, as if they knew that the other must be thinking the same thing.

He was never a gentle and refined gentleman.

She was never a sickly young lady.

They are all wicked people, and they are complicit in each other's crimes.

Realizing this, Ji Wuyu closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again: "Smart, beautiful, although her health is a bit poor, her ideas are highly compatible, and her family background is just right."

"Your Highness, what are you saying?"

Ruan Qing'an blinked, somewhat confused. Ji Wuyu seemed to be evaluating her, while he lowered his head, his slender fingers pressing down on the back of her hand with the pads of his fingers.

His voice was slightly hoarse: "Most importantly, the person is very interesting, so let's take our alliance a step further."

"What--"

Before Ruan Qing'an could react, Ji Wuyu's kiss landed on her lips, and his long, large hand clenched into her fingers like a wild beast.

Just as Ruan Qing'an was about to run out of breath, Ji Wuyu took a half step back, but the next moment, Ruan Qing'an shoved him away violently: "Your Highness, what are you doing!"

"The engagement will not be dissolved, my... Princess Consort."

Ji Wuyu murmured softly, the words lingering on his tongue before being uttered, carrying a strong, tender ambiguity.

【Affection Level: 45】

The engagement will not be dissolved, so she has no choice but to marry him—and Ji Wuyu will not give her any choice either.

He couldn't bear to let go of Ruan Qing'an, who suited his heart so well.

When the carriage swayed back to the Yongle Marquis's residence, Green Bamboo helped Ruan Qing'an down from the carriage: "Miss, be careful."

"I'm fine, Green Bamboo."

Ruan Qing'an waved his hand slightly, not even greeting Ji Wuyu in the carriage, and walked into the Yongle Marquis's residence on his own.

Inside the main hall, Ruan Changhong was waiting anxiously. As soon as he saw Lvzhu helping Ruan Qing'an in, he immediately stepped forward and said, "You're back too late, Qing'an. It was so dangerous on the way."

Upon seeing Ruan Changhong, Ruan Qing'an couldn't help but cough a few times, not so much because he was unwell, but more like he was frightened: "Father, Father... is everything alright?"

"No, aren't you sure about your father?"

As Ruan Changhong spoke, he helped Ruan Qing'an up and gave Lüzhu a wink. Lüzhu then lowered her head and carefully left the main hall.

After seeing Ruan Qing'an cough, Ruan Changhong kept covering his lips with his sleeve and lowering his head. He couldn't help but ask, "Qing'an, are you still feeling unwell? You coughed up blood last time."

"It's alright, Father, don't worry."

Ruan Qing'an stammered, waving her hand, but Ruan Changhong was still worried. He grabbed her sleeve and pulled her hand away, saying, "Let your father take a look. If she's coughing up blood, then we'll have to find a doctor to treat her—"

The next moment, Ruan Changhong's voice came to an abrupt end.

Looking at Ruan Qing'an's slightly swollen lips, Ruan Changhong was dumbfounded: "Ninth, Ninth Prince?"

"Um……"

Ruan Qingan sighed and said helplessly.

Immediately afterward, Ruan Changhong disappeared from her sight. She quickly turned her head and watched as he casually drew a knife from the guard's scabbard and charged aggressively out of the Marquis's residence.

Ruan Qing'an paused: "Little system, what would happen if Ji Wuyu were stabbed to death by someone else?"

037 was stunned: [The male lead is dead; the world is doomed.]

Nguyen Thanh An: ...

Wrapped in a fox fur coat, the young lady, still frail and shivering from the cold, staggered as she tried to catch up: "Father, calm down."

"Ji Wuyu, I'm going to kill you!"

My home-grown Chinese cabbage actually got trampled!

Outside the Yongle Marquis's residence, Ruan Changhong was trembling with anger. He lifted the beaded curtain of the carriage, but couldn't see Ji Wuyu at all. After searching around and not finding a trace of him, he was forced to calm down.

Meanwhile, in the alleyway in the distance.

Ji Wuyu was observing the situation at the Yongle Marquis's residence with his arms crossed, and beside him was the leader dressed in black.

Ji Wuyu sighed softly, "It's truly a matter of life and death..."

“Master, since you are using Miss, why provoke the Marquis? He might really be so angry that he would beat you to death.”

The boss's lips twitched. He couldn't understand why his usually calm and rational master had suddenly gone crazy.

But Ji Wuyu's eyes flickered.

"It's not about taking advantage of them."

They were so well-matched, it was as if they were a match made in heaven.

The leader was stunned for a moment. He seriously doubted whether he had misheard or whether his master had changed. It was simply unbelievable.

At this moment, Ji Wuyu asked, "What did Qing'an and the Second Prince talk about at Hongyun Tower? How did it go?"

The leader then began to recount the events, and when Ji Wuyu heard the line, "Everyone else is a concubine, only you are my legal wife," his gentle and refined smile deepened.

A gentleman as beautiful as jade, unparalleled in the world.

Ji Wuyu had a gentle demeanor, almost like a spring breeze, but the leader who had been by his side for a long time shuddered. When his master showed such a reaction, it meant he was truly angry.

He spoke again, his voice so gentle it sent chills down one's spine: "Second brother, you're always daydreaming and never doing anything productive."

"In that case, let him keep busy."

Busy...preparing for my own funeral.

Ji Wuyu walked into the deep alley, seemingly disappearing into the darkness, while the leader followed silently.