Chapter 150: The Red Tent Hands-Binding Lesson, Discovered by the Searchers...
Xie Yunying was completely dumbfounded.
After a brief silence, she saw Xie Qingyu slowly stand up, a rustling sound of fabric rubbing against each other, and he said gently, "Okay."
Although Xie Qingyu had his back to Xie Yunying, the way he raised his hand to his waist clearly indicated that he was undressing.
Xie Yunying was so shocked by the plot development that she was speechless. Just as Xie Qingyu took off her robe, the scene in front of her suddenly distorted, and then her vision went white. The blinding light forced her to close her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, Xie Yunying had already returned to Qiufang Courtyard and was sitting blankly on her bed.
System: "...The content being viewed contains prohibited and pornographic content and has been automatically blocked. The live stream has been removed from the host's account."
Xie Yunying: "Damn it, why?! I paid for it!"
Meanwhile, Xie Yunying was cursing and demanding an explanation from the system.
Over there, Xie Qingyu, wearing only underpants, knelt down again, her embroidered brocade robe lying limply on the ground.
He was humble in demeanor and extremely obedient in expression.
What a beautiful sight. He looked thin when he was dressed, but his body was not frail when he took off his clothes. The outline of his chest and abdomen was slightly raised like a sculpted jade mountain, with a firm texture and a soft luster. Although there was an underfloor heating in the room, it was winter after all, and he had suddenly taken off all his clothes. He must have been stimulated by the cold. Two pale red dogwood blossoms appeared on the top of the jade mountain.
The room was silent. Yue Yining didn't speak, but Xie Qingyu knew she was watching him intently, so his chest heaved with each breath.
Yue Yining looked down at him, her gaze noticing the only flaw on the flawless white jade.
She asked, "What happened to your arm?"
Xie Qingyu's eyelashes trembled.
He had a patch of skin on his arm wrapped in several layers of gauze, which looked like a serious injury.
He was only thankful that he hadn't used the knife for the past two days, and that the wounds he had sustained had already clotted, so there was no blood on the gauze and his lie wouldn't be exposed.
He said, "I accidentally ate some wild berries a while ago and had an allergic reaction. My family called a doctor, who said that applying medicine would help me recover faster."
Yue Yining nodded slightly, seemingly without doubting his statement. Or perhaps she was just asking casually and didn't really care whether he was injured or not.
Xie Qingyu lowered his eyes, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yue Yining slowly stand up, a corner of her clothes swaying past his eyes, followed by the clanging sound of metal instruments coming from the rack.
Feeling his breathing becoming heavier, Xie Qingyu closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down, but the image of Yue Yining standing in front of the rack, choosing the instruments to be used on him, appeared before his eyes.
His body reacted shamefully again. He opened his eyes with a slight tremor of his eyelashes and saw Yue Yining passing by him. He didn't know where her gaze had landed, but she suddenly stopped, and the hem of her flowing robes froze in front of him.
He heard her laugh, unable to tell if it was a sneer or something else, but Xie Qingyu's neck instantly flushed red.
Yue Yining stared at Xie Qingyu, who had his head bowed and eyes downcast. A faint blush spread from his neck down, staining the entire majestic jade mountain, trembling, floating, and spreading gently with each breath.
It is an absolutely rare and beautiful sight.
He always appears aloof and composed when out in public, but his reaction after shedding his formal attire is alluring and captivating.
With her fingers lightly tapping the dark hemp rope wrapped around her palm, Yue Yining had an idea.
She spoke slowly, "Put your hands behind your back."
The evening clouds dispersed, and the setting sun hung high.
A maid hurried into the Frost-Spraying Courtyard and saw the Grand Guard Yin Yi standing guard outside. She walked up to him and called out in a low voice, "Guard Yin."
"Is the eldest young master inside now? A senior official from the Ministry of Personnel has come to the manor. She says her surname is Qiu and she has some miscellaneous matters that she needs to confirm with the eldest young master. She is just passing by and said that if the eldest young master is not available, she will come another day."
Yin Yi had never heard of this Lord Qiu. But he couldn't make a decision for Xie Qingyu, so he said, "Wait a moment, I'll ask the eldest young master for instructions."
Yin Yi arrived at the door, hesitated for a long time, and then gently knocked.
Knock knock.
"Young Master." His cold voice seeped through the gap in the doorway, muffled and indistinct, "A guest has come to see you, surnamed Qiu. Should the Young Master send someone inside to wait?"
Inside, twilight was falling, and the spring mountains on the painted screen were yet to unfold, while the crabapple blossoms seemed ready to drip with dew.
If Yin Yi were to push open the door at this moment, he would see a person kneeling in front of the desk, his snow-white, bare back slightly hunched, shadows and the setting sun stretching across those ugly, twisted scars.
Those were the incriminating marks of the cruel and merciless beatings he had suffered, and even now, after healing, the remnants remain, like snow-capped mountain ranges rising from a white desert.
Both arms were bound behind his back with loops of hemp rope, clenched into fists, with the remaining long section of rope dragging on the ground, winding around to the front.
That was Xie Qingyu.
A woman in white was kneeling in front of him. The two were very close, and their overlapping shadows appeared even more ambiguous in the dim light.
Sitting in front of him, Yue Yining was holding the remaining half of the rope, intending to wrap it around his neck and tie it properly, when she suddenly heard Yin Yi's voice from outside the door and paused.
Seeing that Xie Qingyu was unresponsive, Yue Yining lowered her voice to remind him, making sure no one else could hear: "Your guards are waiting for your reply."
With her lips slightly parted, Xie Qingyu finally managed to pull herself out of her daze.
A low, hoarse voice came from inside the room: "...say I'm bedridden and won't see me."
Yin Yi had never heard Xie Qingyu make such a sound before.
It wasn't his usual coldness, nor the deliberate gentleness he showed when facing Yue Yining; rather, it was as if he was enduring something extremely difficult, and every word seemed to be slowly squeezed out from his throat.
Yin Yi had some unpleasant suspicions.
He suppressed his shock and confusion, composed himself, turned around, and repeated Xie Qingyu's words to the maid, saying, "Go to the door and see him off. Tell him that the young master is still weak and cannot receive guests these next few days."
Inside the room, Yue Yining looked at Xie Qingyu, whose gaze was lowered, and tightened the rope in her hand. Xie Qingyu's breath hitched, and her face flushed even more.
With nowhere to hide, he could only tremblingly raise his eyelids and look directly at her.
Yue Yining remained silent. She secured the rope around his neck to the one on his wrist, then stood up and sat down at the table.
The crisp sound of pages turning rang out. Xie Qingyu raised his eyes, his eyes red with tears, and looked at her. Yue Yining had already started reading and stopped giving him any attention, as if she intended to just leave him alone.
He was bound hand and foot, naked and disheveled, kneeling on the ground, unable to call anyone in or leave on his own.
This meant he had to kneel until she was satisfied.
Xie Qingyu pursed her lips, straightened her knees, and stared intently at Yue Yining with her dark, inky eyes.
As night fell, the snow fell silently, turning the world into a silvery white.
Just past the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), the tranquility of the mansion was abruptly broken by a group of hurried figures. The heavy footsteps shattered the silence of the snowy night, like muffled thunder rolling across the frozen earth.
A commotion broke out at the gatehouse, and the glow of the lanterns swayed rapidly in the wind and snow, illuminating several panicked faces.
The gatekeeper's voice carried a barely perceptible surprise: "Sir...Sir? So late at night..."
Dozens of people stood in front of the gate, holding torches and staring at him with merciless eyes. Suddenly, the crowd parted from the center like a flowing river, and a burly figure emerged, with a blade at his waist. He was none other than the deputy commander of the Golden Guard.
"On imperial orders!" The rough voice of the deputy commander of the Golden Guard cut through the wind and snow, carrying an undeniable air of iron-fisted authority. "Open the door. We're here to search the Xie residence for wanted criminals. Don't delay us!"
The door was forcibly pushed open, and a group of soldiers dressed in black armor filed in.
The deputy commander's face was cold and hard, his gaze sweeping over the Xie family guards who had rushed over upon hearing the news, like a hawk's. The guards gripped their sword hilts, suppressing their anger. One of them stepped forward and shouted, "Sir, this is the Xie family residence! If you want to search for hidden criminals, why not do it during the day? Why break in at night? What is the reason for this?!"
"Reason?" The deputy commander sneered, pulling a scroll from his robes and unfurling a bright yellow silk book. In the torchlight, the imperial seal and brushstrokes were blinding. "By imperial decree, the entire city is to search for the fugitive criminal! All the residences of princes, nobles, and aristocratic families must be thoroughly investigated without exception!"
"Our Jinwuwei (Imperial Guard) has its reasons for choosing the time to conduct searches. As long as the search team arrives, no matter when, everyone must open their residence for a search, regardless of social status, and be treated equally!"
"If any of you dare to obstruct me, you are defying the imperial decree!"
The Xie family guards fell silent, watching the soldiers surge in with resentment and fear, their boots leaving dirty, messy marks on the clean snow.
Ignoring the panic and attempts of the servants in the mansion, the soldiers roughly searched every courtyard, front hall, corridor, and side room, as if combing through long hair, leaving no place untouched.
Only a few courtyards remained unsearched. At the deputy commander's order, everyone headed towards the Frostbite Courtyard, the residence of the Xie family's eldest son.
Bamboo shadows sway, the moonlight is boundless.
Accompanied by hurried footsteps, the search team filed in, leading their men to the center of the courtyard. Their gazes swept over a group of guards standing under the eaves, with Yin Yi and Huang Qiu at the head.
The deputy commander sensed their resistance and frowned slightly: "Make way. Search by imperial decree!"
Yin Yi's face was ashen. He clasped his hands in a respectful but unyielding manner, saying, "Please forgive me, Commander. My master is unwell today and has already retired for the night. It is truly inconvenient to disturb him at this moment."
"Could the search be postponed until tomorrow...?"
"Tomorrow?" The deputy commander scoffed, interrupting Yin Yi, his eyes filled with impatience. "Since we're here tonight, we must finish the search tonight! If the criminals are cunning, how can we allow delays? Or is your Xie family deliberately obstructing the investigation?!"
He took a step forward, their armor clashing, his tone aggressive: "Dare to stop me again, and you will be defying the imperial decree! Don't blame the swords for being merciless!"
Yin Yi gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and could only say in a deep voice, "My young master is currently in his room... on important business! Could you please make an exception? It is really inconvenient for him to receive guests at this moment, let alone search him!"
"An important matter?" one of the soldiers scoffed, his voice rising, "What important matter could be more important than an imperial edict? I think they're hiding something!"
"Open the door! I can tell at a glance whether it's a person or a ghost! If it really is something 'important,' I will apologize to your young master myself!"
No matter what Yin Yi said, the deputy commander didn't believe him at all, thinking it was all just an excuse.
With a wave of his hand, two burly soldiers immediately stepped forward, forcefully pushing aside Yin Yi and Huang Qiu, and were about to ram the tightly closed door.
Bang!
The commotion, shoving, and questioning outside the door were abruptly cut off by an invisible hand the moment the door opened.
Smoke drifted ethereally in the air, curling and swirling, filling the room with a warm and dense aroma, carrying an indescribable, cloying fragrance. The candlelight in the room was dim, creating a hazy, indistinct atmosphere. Only on the central rosewood canopy bed, red curtains revealed two hazy, almost merged silhouettes within.
The curtains were not completely still, but swaying slightly. The rapid, suppressed breathing, carrying an indescribable, direct meaning, sounded particularly clear and jarring in the sudden intrusion into the silence.
Fine snow fell from the sky, freezing all the officers and soldiers in place.
Even the imposing deputy commander froze at the doorway, as if struck by lightning. Through the two wide-open doors, the group stared in disbelief at the violently swaying red curtains and the figures entangled within.
Suddenly, the noise inside stopped, and the figure lying on top slowly straightened up.
A cold, somber voice suddenly rang out:
"Get out of here!"
A thunderous roar, like a bolt from the blue, shattered the stalemate at the doorway with the man's angry shout.
"...Cough cough cough cough." The leading deputy commander finally snapped out of his daze. This fierce-looking man retreated hastily as if he had been burned. He turned his head sharply and growled incoherently, "What are you all standing there for! Close the door!"
Several soldiers hurriedly tried to pull open the door that had been kicked open. With a loud bang, the door slammed shut, shutting out the suffocatingly erotic scene.
The deputy commander's tough demeanor crumbled, replaced by embarrassment. The soldiers behind him were even more red-faced, their eyes darting around in a panic, their earlier fierce demeanor completely gone.
The deputy commander cleared his throat and, forcing himself to remain calm, roared, "Go somewhere else! Keep searching!"
The leaves swayed, metal clashed, and footsteps, chaotic yet swift, faded into the distance, leaving behind messy traces on the snow.
The Frost-Spraying Courtyard was restored to deathly silence, with only the wind and snow continuing to silently cover the earth.
Inside the room, the already unstable candlelight was further scattered by the strong wind caused by the soldiers slamming the door shut, and the light and shadow were completely turned upside down.
Inside the deep red tent, coils of hemp rope stretched from Xie Qingyu's wrists to the edge of the bed. At this moment, he was kneeling on the bed, one hand pressing against Yue Yining's lips, the other hand barely supporting himself on the mattress, his naked chest and abdomen heaving.
His long, smooth, jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, intertwining with the woman's long, flowing hair beneath him, inseparable.
The person lying beneath him was Yue Yining. However, compared to his disheveled state, Yue Yining's hair was slightly messy, but his clothes were neat. His lips and nose were covered by Yue Yining, leaving only his bright black eyes exposed.
Even in the dim light, her eyes still shone brightly, like a pair of priceless gems.
She watched him silently, letting him make noise on the bed without struggling or making a sound. Now that the searchers had left, she tapped Xie Qingyu's hand, which was covering her lips, with her finger, as if to remind him.
Xie Qingyu quickly released her grip and said in a low, hoarse voice, "I'm sorry, did I hurt you just now, Miss?"
When it came to hurting, Yue Yining didn't react much.
She glanced at the bluish marks on his wrists, then looked up and stared into his eyes again: "Was it because I didn't tie you up properly that you were able to break free so easily, or have you always been good at untying ropes?"
She had just been disciplining Xie Qingyu in front of the bed when there was a sudden commotion outside the door. Before she could react, Xie Qingyu, who had suddenly broken free of his ropes, pinned her to the bed. Before the person outside could burst in, Xie Qingyu extinguished the candle by the bed, lowered the bed curtains, and lay on top of her, creating the illusion that they were having sex.
Logically speaking, if she had just made a violent movement or pulled her hand away from his and screamed, she could have attracted the soldiers and then escaped.
But Yue Yining did not do that.
Firstly, she wasn't sure of the origins of these people outside, and didn't know if they were acting on the orders of the Eldest Princess. If the leader was from another faction, it wouldn't be difficult for them to switch the body or even kill her on the way back to the prison under the cover of darkness. If things went wrong, she might have fallen into a tiger's den right after escaping one.
Secondly, her days of solitude and observation had already shaped a new plan in her mind. Now, Yue Yining was no longer in a hurry to escape, and she also had a way to let Wei Yihua know that she was safe and sound and in the Xie residence.
Faced with her questioning, Xie Qingyu's eyelashes trembled slightly, "I..."
Yue Yining leaned against the jade pillow. Although she was in a subordinate position and being violated, she was not afraid at all. Instead, she tightened her grip on the hemp rope in her left hand.
The rope still tied around Xie Qingyu's neck suddenly tightened, and he coughed and bent down unexpectedly.
She said, "Is it that hard to answer?"
Xie Qingyu looked at her lips so close to his own, and closed his eyes involuntarily, saying in a hoarse voice, "Yes, I was in a hurry. I shouldn't have untied the ropes."
"Please, Miss... continue punishing me, don't stop."
The ambiguous request, along with the white mist from his continuous exhalations, blurred the overlapping red shadows between the curtains.
Yue Yining gazed at him and said softly, "I never expected that Young Master Xie would be this kind of person."
"You're even more excited now that you've been caught doing this. How licentious you are."
As she spoke, she raised her right hand meaningfully.
The slender, supple rattan whip in her right hand, like a snake's tongue, probed into his half-undone underpants, pulling them open further.
The candlelight, dripping with wax, flickered, almost extinguished. Inside the dark red curtains, everything was shrouded in darkness and sultry red, yet the jade pillar stood tall and imposing.
There's no way to deny it.
The vine whip pressed against her, and whether it was too cold or too sensitive, the person in front of her reacted extremely. The arms supporting her on both sides trembled, she bit her lip, lowered her head, and gasped.
He didn't forget to apologize, whether for her accusation or for his own rashness and rudeness, it was unclear: "I'm sorry, miss, I..."
A heavy, intense light shone in Xie Qingyu's eyes, much brighter than when she had just been stripped naked and bound.
Yue Yining naturally knew why. Xie Qingyu was so clever that once that door closed, he would understand that she didn't really want to leave the Xie family mansion.
In the chaos of the battle just now, Yue Yining had already made her choice; she chose to stay.
Whether or not it was because of him.
"Shh." Yue Yining looked at his reaction and chuckled ambiguously. "Stop talking nonsense."
"Whether you are truly remorseful or relieved, you know better than I do," she said slowly. "There is still half an hour left, Young Master Xie, why don't you focus on the present?"
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Author's Note: Yue Yining: I'm sorry, I did something bad to you.
Xie Qingyu: Quite the opposite
Yin Yi: Hesitant to speak
Author: Actually not
Xie Yunying: Chacha melon seeds
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Did you guys enjoy it?! I'm begging for nutrient solution to water your plants! [starry-eyed]
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