Chapter 14. He almost lost control.
The inner room and the outer room were separated only by a heavy mica screen.
On the screen, a tall but hunched figure was vaguely reflected, curled up in pain on a soft couch in the corner.
My husband!
Mingwu's heart felt as if it had been gripped by an icy hand, skipping a beat for a moment. Without time to think, she rushed towards the inner room.
Sudden!
A gust of wind swept by, and a tall, dark figure blocked her way like a ghost.
It felt like a heavy mountain was pressing down on her.
She was pressed against the cold corner of the wall by a powerful and irresistible force.
Immediately afterwards, a large, iron-like hand precisely gripped her jaw. The force was so great that the knuckles sank deep, as if it would crush her jawbone at any moment.
Ming Wu swallowed her cry of pain and cautiously looked up.
A pair of eyes came into view.
What a pair of eyes they were!
The blood-red pupils lurking in the shadows made her feel as if she were in a desolate, snowy night, with a fierce alpha wolf locking her throat.
Hot breath, carrying a strong stench of blood, sprayed onto her face.
That rainy night, Lu Yuan in the carriage was in the same state.
No, Lu Yuan at this moment is even more terrifying than he was that night!
Mingwu felt a chill run down her spine, her scalp tingling. She gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands. Instinctively, she wanted to back away, but her back was already pressed against the cold wall, leaving her nowhere to retreat.
His burning chest was in front of her.
The combined attack of ice and fire made even her fingertips stiffen.
In the dim light, his expression was not visible; only the faint light leaking from the inner room outlined the sharp, chiseled contours of half of his profile.
His breathing was heavy, as if he was trying his best to restrain something.
Lu Yuan's hand was still holding her chin, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, his calloused fingertips caressing her delicate skin.
It's like sizing up prey, pondering where to start.
Mingwu stood stiffly, not daring to move.
"Prime Minister...Prime Minister..."
Mingwu's voice trembled uncontrollably as she tried to rouse him from his daze. However, the man suddenly buried his head in the crook of her neck, his hot breath scorching her skin.
Mingwu couldn't help but tremble.
A sudden, tingling pain shot through her neck; he was biting her.
Mingwu gasped, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably, landing with a soft thud on the back of his hand where the veins were slightly bulging.
Lu Yuan had seen women cry before, but this single tear burned his fingertips.
It felt as if something scalding hot had seeped into my heart along with that tear.
The bloodshot look in Lu Yuan's eyes gradually faded. He raised his head and looked at the bite marks on the white jade neck, which were oozing blood. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Stick out the tip of your tongue and gently lick away the blood.
Mingwu shuddered and stared incredulously at the culprit.
He... he actually...
After realizing what he had done, a flash of surprise crossed Lu Yuan's pupils, but he quickly regained his usual cold indifference.
He let go of her hand.
Mingwu's legs were weak, and she could only stand up by his restraint. As soon as he released his grip, her body slid down involuntarily.
Just as she was about to fall, the large hand that had just loosened its grip quickly tightened around her slender waist, holding her firmly in place.
"Who allowed you to come in?" The two were in an intimate pose, but his words were utterly cold.
Mingwu suddenly looked up
The wind lifted the curtains, and moonlight poured in in an instant.
It sprinkled on the man's handsome, well-defined face.
Half of his face was shrouded in shadow, obscuring his features; the other half, illuminated by the moonlight, resembled a piece of cold jade that could not be warmed, even the thin shadows cast by his eyelashes seemed chilly.
A moment later, the curtains fell, and the room returned to darkness.
Mingwu suppressed the soreness rising in her throat, silently lowered her eyes, and reached out to pry his arms off her waist. However, his arms were as hard as iron, and no matter how hard she tried, they wouldn't budge.
Mingwu was furious: "Let go of me."
"What do you take this place for? Someone who can come and go as they please?"
Did she come here on her own? It was clearly Granny Qin who kidnapped her. She was just worried about him, concerned that something had happened to him.
Mingwu felt both angry and bitter. She hated his cold-heartedness and arrogance, and was also annoyed that she couldn't let go of him even in this situation.
Struggling to no avail, and filled with shame and indignation, she bit down on his chest without thinking, right on the slight protrusion.
A muffled groan came from above.
When Mingwu realized what she had bitten, she was stunned, as if struck by lightning.
If she were to say now that she just wanted to get revenge on him, simply to bite him, would it be too late?
She raised her eyes tremblingly.
In the dim light, a dangerous glint flashed in Lu Yuan's unfathomable eyes.
Just like that rainy night.
Mingwu's heart pounded with alarm bells. She hurriedly loosened her grip and tried desperately to escape. But at that moment, the large hand that was tightly holding her waist suddenly tightened.
She was pulled by that powerful force and slammed heavily into his arms.
The two were pressed tightly together, so tightly that she could clearly hear the powerful, drum-like pounding of his heart.
"Madam, are you trying to seduce me?"
Mingwu hurriedly shook her head: "No...no!"
Lu Yuan's eyes darkened slightly: "No?"
He lowered his head, his hot breath brushing against her ear, his voice low and dangerously husky, "...Who is Madam trying to seduce? Third Brother?"
"You're shameless!"
Filled with shame and anger, Mingwu raised her hand to slap Lu Yuan across the face. He easily caught her wrist halfway across the way.
Lu Yuan's eyes flashed with bloodlust: "I'm shameless?" His voice was chillingly cold.
The moonlight streaming in through the window split his profile into two halves of light and shadow, revealing bulging veins on his forehead and an overwhelming aura of ferocity.
"Then I'll show you how shameless I can be."
"Sizzle—!"
The fragile garments ripped apart instantly.
Mingwu felt a chill on her chest as her torn clothes were roughly ripped off. She cried out in surprise and instinctively tried to curl up to protect herself.
Lu Yuan easily grabbed her other wrist, forcefully raised both of her hands high, and pressed them firmly against the cold wall above her head.
He slowly moved closer, the scorching pressure pressing down on him relentlessly.
"What are you hiding? Isn't this what you came here for?"
"You're shameless, you..."
The kisses rained down on us.
Lu Yuan's kiss was forceful, conquering and plundering. Ming Wu had no way to resist; she could only passively tilt her head back, letting him steal her breath.
My body felt as if all my strength had been drained away, or as if some hidden flame had been ignited within me.
suddenly!
Her vision went black, and she collapsed limply into Lu Yuan's arms.
The beautiful moment was abruptly interrupted.
Lu Yuan frowned slightly. He looked down at the person in his arms, whose exposed, snow-white skin was covered with mottled red marks like red plum blossoms falling on snow.
My gaze slowly moved down to the inside of her slender arm, where there was a small, faint red scar. Upon closer inspection, it was a tiny five-petaled flower.
Four petals have already opened, and the last petal is beginning to take shape.
Lu Yuan raised his hand, his fingertips gently tracing the petals, his eyes dark and unfathomable.
He nearly lost control.
The night wind howled outside the window, whipping wildly dancing tree branches against the windowpane with a crackling sound.
The moonlight filtering through the gaps in the curtains cast distorted shadows of the two figures onto the wall.
After a long pause, he took off his black cloak and draped it tightly over Ming Wu's bare shoulders, completely enveloping her.
"Xu Ming".
Immediately, hurried footsteps echoed from under the eaves.
Xu Ming, who pushed open the door, immediately saw Ming Wu being held tightly in Lu Yuan's arms. He was stunned for a moment, then quickly lowered his head, not daring to look any longer.
"Have someone escort the lady back to the detached courtyard."
"But what about your body, Your Excellency..."
Lu Yuan glanced at Xu Ming, and Xu Ming immediately fell silent.
"I wouldn't stoop so low as to force a woman."
Xu Ming quickly brought two meek and obsequious old women and an inconspicuous carriage. The old women carefully took the unconscious Ming Wu from Lu's hands.
They helped him, half-carried him, onto the carriage.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, gradually disappearing into the distance.
A night breeze swept through the corridor, and suddenly a very faint, crisp "click" was heard.
Xu Ming turned around in surprise and doubt.
Lu Yuan was holding a jade earring between his fingers. Fine cracks were spreading wildly across the jade surface like a spider web, and then burst open.
With a slight loosening of her fingers, the jade earring turned into a pile of blue powder, which fell in a flurry.
Prepare cold water.
"......yes."
As dawn broke, Lu Yuan finally emerged from the bathhouse.
He was wearing only a thin undergarment, his dark hair was wet and clung to his pale neck, with water droplets still dripping from the ends.
Xu Ming, who had been waiting outside the door, rushed forward upon seeing this.
"Your Excellency, you..."
He glanced quickly at his master.
His complexion was an almost transparent pale, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, and his thin lips were tightly pressed together, revealing a deep weariness and haggardness that was forcibly suppressed.
The terrifying frenzy and violence of last night has dissipated.
That overpowering medicinal effect... you must have just endured it, right?
Xu Ming dared not think about the torment he had endured in the cold water for those few hours; he only felt a tightness in his throat.
He truly didn't understand why the Prime Minister was acting this way. He had clearly instructed Granny Qin to bring the Madam over. If the Prime Minister disliked the Madam, then last night, Miss Qi Lan had also offered herself to him.
The Prime Minister not only refused, but also pushed Miss Qi Lan away forcefully.
"Prime Minister, should I send someone to request leave from today's court assembly?"
In truth, given Lu Yuan's current status and position, even the emperor was merely a puppet in his hands. There was no need for him to request leave, yet he still strictly adhered to the rules and never overstepped the bounds of etiquette.
Lu Yuan said calmly, "No need, let's set out the meal."
Because Lu Yuan was busy with government affairs, he often worked until late at night. Therefore, the Prime Minister's kitchen always had meals ready.
Soon, the meal was served.
Lu Yuan glanced at the greasy dishes on the table and instantly lost his appetite.
"Bring that medicinal cuisine..."
He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.
Xu Ming understood.
The Prime Minister must be missing the medicinal cuisine his wife used to make.
He thought to himself that no matter what, he must find an excuse to get his wife to make another cup of wine for the Prime Minister.
"Prime Minister, the Prefect sent another invitation yesterday."
Lu Yuan pinched the bridge of his nose: "What is it?"
"It concerns the lady's brother's pursuit of an official position..."
Before Xu Ming could finish speaking, Lu Yuan coldly interrupted him: "From now on, there's no need to present any invitations from Magistrate Ming to me."
“…Yes.” Xu Ming’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately lowered his head to obey.
-
Leaving the courtyard, to the west wing.
Morning light filtered through the carved window lattice, casting a few thin, veil-like rays that spread across the floor, offering no warmth.
This made the interior seem even colder and quieter.
Mingwu sat alone in front of the dressing table, turned her head slightly, and raised her hand to gather her black hair.
She raised her hand, her fingertips touching the right side of her neck. There, a sharp pain shot through her skin.
The skin was slightly swollen, with clear teeth marks, and the edges even had a lingering bluish-purple tinge.
It looks quite terrifying.
That dog of a man, is he a dog in disguise? He likes to bite people so much.
His condition last night suggested he had been drugged with an extremely potent drug. But yesterday... he clearly had his dinner at the Lan Courtyard.
Could it be Qi Lan?
I wonder if his medication worked after she fainted...
Pshaw! What are you thinking?
Even if Qi Lan eventually gives him the antidote, that's their business and has nothing to do with her.
A sharp, sudden, sharp pain shot through my chest, as if it were being slowly and repeatedly cut by countless blunt knives hardened with ice.
The pain was so vivid that it instantly took her breath away.
At this moment, Chunnan came in carrying a copper basin.
"Madam, what's wrong? Why are you so pale?"
Mingwu shook her head: "It's nothing."
Chunnan noticed the red mark on Mingwu's neck and asked in surprise.
"Oh dear! Madam, your neck... you've been bitten?!"
Mingwu blushed.
Almost hastily, she raised her hand to gather her scattered black hair to the side of her neck, and then frantically tugged at her collar.
Feigning composure, she said, "You're mistaken, it's a mosquito bite."
Chunnan blinked in confusion, looking out the window at the still chilly early spring scenery.
Are there already such vicious and venomous mosquitoes at this time of year?
Mingwu, fearing she would ask again, changed the subject.
Where did you go just now?
Chunnan then remembered the important matter, and her little face immediately turned red with anger, as if she had stuffed two small steamed buns into her mouth.
She put down the copper basin, took a few steps closer to Mingwu, lowered her voice, but could not suppress her righteous indignation.
"Madam, you don't know. Everyone in the manor is saying that the Prime Minister didn't come to the Li Courtyard for dinner last night, and that you've fallen out of favor."
"Some say... that the Prime Minister has grown tired of his wife and will soon make the woman from Fulan Courtyard the mistress of the house."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
