Chunfeng Pavilion was a popular brothel for young men from prominent families in Yandu. After Yan Beimo returned to Yandu, Xie Xun often dragged him there to drink.
Smoke curled from the stove inside the room, and shadowy figures moved about within the white gauze curtains.
Several people sat by the window, chatting and laughing, surrounded by beautiful maids.
Yan Beimo had just taken the Cold Stone Powder, and his body was hot. He leaned back in the chair behind him, closed his eyes to rest, and looked listless and dejected.
During the Southern Dynasties, the practice of consuming stones was prevalent, but this cold stone powder was expensive and could only be afforded by aristocratic families. It was also a symbol of status for the upper-class gentry.
Yan Bei Mo disliked romantic affairs, but occasionally had a fondness for consuming stones.
But this stuff can cause dementia, so he rarely took it except when his left leg was in unbearable pain.
Xie Xuan looked at Yan Beimo beside her with a teasing expression, snapped the fan in her hand shut, and smiled with a tilt of her head.
"I've heard that Princess Jinling is incredibly beautiful. Instead of keeping her at your residence to enjoy, you've come here to drink with us. Yan Beimo, are you perhaps impotent? Hahaha--"
Wang Hezhan, who was standing nearby, burst out laughing and pushed the beautiful maidservant who was serving at the table away.
"These have all been carefully trained by the Xie family. If you don't like Jinling, take a look and see if there's anything here that suits your taste."
Yan Beimo's snow-white inner garment was soaked through. Unable to bear the heat, he loosened his belt and let his hair down.
The beautiful maid, who had been pushed over, blushed as she looked at her carefree and unruly husband and reached out to climb over to him.
Marquis Yan has lived in Chaoge in the north for a long time and has never been close to women. If she could marry Marquis Yan, she would enjoy endless wealth and honor for the rest of her life.
"My Lord—"
Yan Bei Mo disliked the sweet, delicate voice. He opened his eyes lightly, a hint of gloom appearing in his expression, which startled the maid so much that she immediately withdrew her hand.
Seeing this, Cui Linyuan smiled faintly and waved for the beautiful maids in the room to leave.
The four friends had been friends for many years and all knew he disliked women, so they didn't take it seriously and chatted about romance while holding their wine glasses.
"Any news from Kyoto?"
When he brought up serious matters, everyone's expressions became serious.
“Shen Yan is a capable man. He suppressed many generals and the entire Chaodong area was recovered.”
Xie Xuan crossed his legs and curled his lips in a nonchalant manner.
"You'd better be careful in Jinling."
"What kind of trouble can a woman cause?" Wang Hezhan sneered dismissively. "If you ask me, we should devise a plan within a plan, give her what she wants, and trap her like a turtle in a jar."
Yan Beimo picked up the wine on the table, chuckled softly, and said nothing.
Xie Xuan fanned himself with his fan and laughed, "What do you want?"
Yan Beimo leaned back lazily in his chair, swirling the wine in his hand.
"kill."
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Night Hawk entered, knife in hand, and bowed respectfully.
"My lord, the Yinlou Pavilion has been searched. I found the lady and took her back with me."
Chu Changning never expected to be so unlucky. She had just fooled Lin Yuan when a group of guards stormed in and injured her.
When she woke up again, she was in a secret room.
It was pitch black all around. She stood up, clutching her aching shoulder. Before she could even take a good look at the room, she heard a loud rumbling sound.
Light suddenly rushed in, and the dim yellow light instantly illuminated the person who had entered.
"Madam, please."
Nightfall?
Chu Changning recognized Ye San at a glance, and a bad feeling flashed through her mind, her legs even trembling slightly.
She was taken back to the manor. Was the person who injured Lin Yuan one of Yan Beimo's men?
It's over.
"Madam, the lord requests your presence."
Ye San's voice deepened.
Chu Changning withdrew his suspicions and left the secret room.
She was blindfolded and led back.
A chilling wind swept down my back, and piercing screams of agony echoed in my ears from time to time.
Chu Changning felt a chill run down his spine as he quickly racked his brains for a solution.
"Madam, we've arrived."
Suddenly pushed, Chu Changning lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Blood flowed freely on the cold ground, and her slender white hands were covered in sticky, bloody residue.
She quickly pulled off the white blindfold and looked around.
Inside the dark room, blood was everywhere.
She stared in horror at the people hanging on the torture instruments, her palms clenching involuntarily.
It was Lin Yuan and the others; their collarbones had all been pierced.
Have you seen enough?
Suddenly, a clear and gentle voice came from behind, as melodious as jade beads mixed with icy water falling into the sea.
She subconsciously turned around and saw Yan Beimo dressed in a snow robe, sitting on a pear blossom chair, holding a cup of tea in his hand, looking languid.
Chu Changning's heart tightened, and just as she was about to stand up, someone pressed her down to the ground.
"What does Your Excellency mean by this?"
Yan Beimo raised an eyebrow as he looked at her feigned composure.
"Doesn't the princess recognize the person behind her?"
Chu Changning didn't want to turn around and see Lin Yuan's miserable state at all; it was simply too horribly tortured to bear, the cruel punishment of having one's collarbone pierced.
"I don't know these people. What does Your Excellency want with them bringing me here to see these things?"
Yan Beimo sneered, put down his teacup, and looked at her indifferently.
He sat upright in his chair, his gaze high above him, exuding a powerful and oppressive aura.
Chu Changning slumped to the ground, his body shivering slightly.
Suddenly, he bent down and grabbed her by the back of the neck, pulling her under his robe.
They were so close that she could smell a faint scent of blood on him.
Chu Changning winced in pain and struggled to lift her eyes.
"What are you pretending for?"
He curled his lips into a wicked smile and tightened his grip on the back of her neck.
Chu Changning's face turned pale instantly, and she couldn't stand it and tried to pry his hand away.
Her snow-white robe was instantly stained with blood.
Yan Beimo's eyes darkened slightly as he grabbed her hands and pinned them behind her back, forcing her to lean forward.
This pose immediately accentuated his curvaceous figure, revealing his shapely curves.
But Yan Beimo couldn't see any of this.
He gently whispered in her ear.
"The Southern Dynasty has fallen; I shall see the princess off on her final journey."
Chu Changning was in pain from his grip, and struggled to twist and turn, her head uncontrollably slamming into his crotch.
It just so happened that it bumped into that spot.
Yan Beimo's expression changed instantly, and everyone around the dark room immediately lowered their heads.
"Let go—let go—"
Chu Changning was suffocating under his robe; his hands were tightly wrapped around the back of her neck, so tightly that she felt like she was about to break.
Yan Beimo's face showed slight anger, and he shoved her away.
Chu Changning collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.
The dark room fell silent.
Yan Beimo glanced at her coldly and waved his hand behind him.
Night Hawk understood and had someone hold down Chu Changning, who was struggling to remember, while he picked up the broken bone nail from the plate and walked towards her.
"what are you up to?"
Yan Beimo smiled faintly as he looked at her terrified face.
"If the princess survives, I will protect you and ensure your peace for the rest of your life."
Madman, madman.
A chill ran from the soles of her feet straight to her heart. Chu Changning tried desperately to break free, but these were all highly skilled bodyguards trained since childhood, and she was no match for them. She was tightly restrained.
He acted so quickly, eliminating all of Shen Yan's spies in Yandu in just two days, and even wanted to kill her as soon as possible.
Chu Changning quickly tried to distance himself from the situation and spoke up.
"Does Lord Junhou think I would side with Shen Yan? He killed my father and brothers and harmed my imperial sister. Why would I help him? Why not use me to spread false information?"
Yan Beimo chuckled, "A mere brat, no need to bother with him."
He didn't even respect the emperor; he didn't take them seriously at all.
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