Wanyan Ke was furious. He turned around, and a whip appeared in his hand. He lashed the ground with a crack.
“You’re not allowed to leave. That was given to me by my father. If you take it, you’ll be my husband.”
The grand chime music echoed melodiously in the palace, and everyone looked over curiously to watch the show. This young princess of Quanrong was notoriously arrogant and dared to make such outrageous remarks in public in the palace. This Quanrong woman really had no shame.
"Are there no men left in the Northern Frontier? The princess is actually trying to steal my husband in public."
Suddenly, Yan Yuan walked out of the palace, looking at the girl in purple with an unfriendly expression and an overbearing manner.
Wanyan Ke recognized her and raised his chin, "In your Central Plains customs, isn't it about having three wives and four concubines? What you did this time was an act of jealousy."
"---"
Yan Yuan's face darkened. "It seems that the princess has learned the etiquette of the Central Plains. In our Great Qi, no unmarried girl is as shameless as the princess."
"you---"
Wanyan Ke was speechless and didn't know how to refute him. Her eyes turned red with anger, and before she could even raise her whip, the little Khan who had rushed over grabbed her and protected her behind him.
She stomped her foot in dissatisfaction, staring intently at the departing man. Just as she was about to shout, her elder brother covered her mouth.
"This is the Great Qi, so behave yourself."
Yan Yuan glanced at the brother and sister, then coldly withdrew her gaze and chased after them heading west.
Wang Hezhan heard the sound of someone chasing after him, but he didn't slow down. It wasn't until he heard her shout loudly, disregarding her status, that he slowly turned around.
Yan Yuan was furious at his behavior. Her pretty face was ashen, and she tried her best to suppress her anger as she walked up to him, panting and clutching her handkerchief.
A gentle breeze blows, and the cool moonlight shines on the crabapple blossoms on both banks, flowing quietly over the bluestone bricks.
His eyes were narrow and as black as ink, and his smile was repulsive. "What is it?"
"---"
Yan Yuan clenched her handkerchief, licked her lips, and tried to lower her voice as gently as possible, "You've been back from the North for so many days, but you haven't returned to the manor yet. When are you coming back to Yandu with me?"
"You're going to the southwest. You can go back by yourself."
southwest?
She frowned subconsciously, and the handkerchief she was holding tightened in her hand.
Looking at her, Wang Hezhan uttered a harsh tone, "Sixth Brother probably won't be back for several years after returning to the Southwest this time."
Yan Yuan, "---"
Her expression changed instantly, and she looked up at him.
Their eyes met in mid-air; he looked completely unconcerned, which made her chest ache with anger.
“Wang Hezhan, even if I really had something with him, you wouldn’t care, would you? Do you know that I am your lawfully wedded wife?”
Wang Hezhan wasn't annoyed by her yelling. In his usual carefree manner, he said, "It's a family marriage. You can marry someone else. I won't stop you from pursuing happiness."
"You—" Yan Yuan's hands trembled with anger, and she blurted out, "Have you not forgotten that Xie family girl yet?"
These noble scions are born into a life of debauchery and dissoluteness. They are born at the top of the pyramid and are never short of women. Bright and beautiful, demure and gentle, they will eventually tire of them. Without the support of their families, their sincere hearts will only go to waste. It is better to plan for their future and interests.
But she never expected that a mere illegitimate daughter from a collateral branch of the Xie family would actually capture his heart, and three years later, he still hadn't forgotten her.
Wang Hezhan laughed and said dismissively, "What do you think?"
Yan Yuan paused, completely baffled by him, and remained silent, her lips trembling.
He didn't say anything more, turned around and strode away.
---
The southwest region is vast and expansive. Upon hearing that someone had come from the capital, the governor of Liangzhou prepared a banquet at the largest restaurant in the city to warmly welcome him.
Wang Hezhan arrived in the southwest a couple of days ago. He first went to Longyin Pass, which is closest to the border between the two countries. He walked around the city twice and ordered his secret guards to investigate the local trade between the two countries.
Liangzhou is a land rich in resources and fertile soil. The largest city is Liangzhou City. You can reach Longyin Pass by crossing the Baizhi River.
After gathering some information, he took a boat to Liangzhou City.
The Baizhi River stretches from Liangzhou Wharf in the east to Longyin Pass in the west, passing through many wharves in various prefectures along the way.
When passing through Yangxia, An Yi ordered his men to dock the boat and enter the pleasure boat where singing and dancing were taking place.
The boat was bustling with activity. Several adults sat around the boat, musicians played instruments and sang, and dancers performed Western Region songs and dances with great enthusiasm. They were only covered by a few pieces of leather that barely covered their private parts, and their breasts and buttocks were full and their eyes were seductive.
He glanced at his dissolute and licentious master in the main seat and said respectfully.
"Sir, it's late. Let's go into the city and rest for the night."
Wang Hezhan leaned back lazily in his chair, gulping down a mouthful of wine with drunken eyes. He pushed away the dancers who were clinging to him, walked to the window, and glanced at the bustling dock.
Where is this?
An paused slightly, then said, "Yang Xia."
A moment of silence fell over the air. The man standing by the window was tall and slender, his back looking desolate.
He turned around, grabbed the beautiful maid beside him, and said, "No, we're heading straight to Liangzhou."
"Oh, General, I heard that Yangxia is holding a lantern festival tonight, and it's quite lively with men and women." A richly dressed young man approached him, patted his shoulder, and laughed, "We've been on the boat for several days, let's go and see what's going on."
Wang Hezhan brushed his hand away, grabbed the strong liquor from the table, and poured it on the beautiful maid. "What's so interesting about this remote and desolate place?"
"The flower crabs here are the most famous. Since we're already passing by, let's go to a restaurant and try them."
"Brother He Zhan, please eat, it's really delicious, everyone here loves it."
The voice suddenly popped into his mind again, and his expression instantly darkened. He lay down on the small couch by the window and picked up the wine jar.
Seeing him like this, the beautiful maid beside him clung to him with a soft, boneless grace, and said in a sweet, gentle voice, "Young Master~"
Wang Hezhan impatiently brushed it aside, took a swig of strong liquor, and stared dazedly at the night view outside the window.
Flower boats glided across the lake with music playing, while a bustling crowd thronged the docks, their lights mingling with the lively sounds of the people.
His thoughts drifted, and the girls' giggling voices seemed to come from the distant horizon, their sounds carrying a violent undercurrent to his ears.
Suddenly, with a crisp clang, rows of lanterns lit up along the riverbank. People carrying lanterns gathered around, and a woman in a smoky white moon dress squatted by the river, holding a lantern on a crossbeam. The man beside her bowed his head and brushed her clothes.
The moment the woman looked up and smiled, Wang Hezhan's eyes narrowed sharply, as if his drunken gaze had suddenly become clear. He moved so fast that he flashed past the window like a blur.
Under the cover of night, shadowy figures were everywhere. He stared intently at the figures on the shore, his hands gripping the window frame, veins bulging.
The moonlight illuminated the woman's face, revealing her dark green eyebrows, smooth skin, clear, bright eyes like autumn water, rosy lips, and a radiant smile on her cheeks, all bathed in the shimmering light of the water.
The familiar face seemed etched in his mind. He stared intently at the figure in the crowd, a complex mix of emotions surging from his spine to his heart. The emotions that had been building up inside him completely collapsed, churning into a monstrous wave that transformed into an intense longing.
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