Chapter 148 Is dying of embarrassment a punishment or a reward? ...
Snow falls on plum blossoms, and white silk accumulates on bamboo.
Inside the Frost-Spraying Courtyard, the maids dressed in winter clothes were silent and had long since moved away from the corridor, standing in the snow. Only a few personal guards stood by the door, including Yin Yi and Huang Qiu.
Huang Qiu stood further from the door, looking hesitant and frequently glancing at Yin Yi's expression.
Yin Yi stood upright with one hand on his sword. At first glance, his face was still ordinary and quiet, but upon closer inspection, it was filled with a faint sense of death.
Xie Qingyu went in just now, and then he kicked everyone out. The door has been closed for a long time and there has been no movement.
Inside the room separated by a door, there were two people alone.
Yin Yi, as the guard closest to the door, couldn't clearly hear what Yue Yining and Xie Qingyu were saying or doing.
But he could clearly hear the unbearable sounds coming from inside, coming intermittently.
Inside, the doors and windows were tightly closed, and the floor heating emitted a stuffy warmth. The red plum blossoms in the vase were wilted by the warmth, drooping listlessly. Their bright red heads, barely hanging down, looked as if they had seen something shameful and were about to die of shame.
A woman dressed in white sat in the center, surrounded by a fox fur draped over an entire chaise lounge. Her posture was casual, and even without makeup, she was captivating, naturally beautiful, like an orchid or a lotus.
A man with slightly disheveled clothes was kneeling in front of her.
At first glance, judging solely from their clothing and accessories, the man should be of higher status, yet he knelt silently, his body swaying slightly, his posture extremely humble. The woman sitting on the couch looked down at him, her thick, long eyelashes drooping, her long hair at her temples obscuring most of her face, her expression unreadable.
Xie Qingyu, kneeling on the carpet, had her back slightly hunched and her eyelashes trembling.
He bit his lip, and as the woman in front of him stomped on him from time to time, he felt like he was being tortured. His shoulders and drooping neck trembled violently. He gasped for breath, and his low, hoarse voice suddenly escaped from his lips when he could no longer control himself.
A slender arm reached out and lifted his chin with its fingers.
Yue Yining carefully examined Xie Qingyu's face and smiled, "Your face is all red, are you enjoying it so much?"
Xie Qingyu's eyes were filled with confusion, and she subconsciously leaned her cheek against Yue Yining's hand, but Yue Yining dodged away.
Yue Yining withdrew her hand, and Xie Qingyu opened her eyes, looking at her with moist eyes.
He called her softly, "Miss..."
Yue Yining stared at him, her expression changing slightly.
She said, "It seems I need to try harder."
Xie Qingyu's legs, which were tucked into his robes, tensed up slightly. Suddenly, his body trembled violently, and he bent over, his trembling lips almost touching hers.
Yue Yining paused, and the jade crown that had been swaying in front of her finally stopped shaking.
He had already let go, panting heavily, his neck and jawline stained red, like red plum blossoms wet with rain and dew.
Yue Yining stared at him motionless for a while, then slowly moved the sole of her shoe and discovered a dark, damp stain seeping from under the black robe.
Looking at Xie Qingyu kneeling on the ground, he had already raised his head, his chest still heaving as he gazed at her.
His gaze was as gentle as ever. Only this time, the water in his eyes was deeper and more turbulent, and when he looked at her, his tenderness was like a gentle, continuous rain.
Originally engulfed in rage, Yue Yining suddenly snapped out of it upon seeing the scene before her.
The coldness and burning fire in her eyes faded. The room was warm and humid, filled with the lingering scent of musk, and Xie Qingyu kneeling on the ground reminded her of what she had just done.
Yue Yining braced her wrists on the edge of the couch, instinctively creating distance between herself and him: "You..."
He spoke before she could, urgently calling out to her, "Miss."
Yue Yining paused. Xie Qingyu reached out and slowly grasped her ankle, his gaze fixed on her face. He had almost calmed down; his previously heaving chest had become still, and the emotion in his eyes had returned to its usual gentle tenderness.
His voice was low and hoarse: "I'm sorry. I've dirtied your feet, Miss."
"Let me change your shoes, Miss."
Yue Yining crumpled the fox fur coat in her hands. On one hand, she instinctively wanted to refuse Xie Qingyu, but on the other hand, she felt that if she backed down at this moment, it would be a defeat. So she held her breath and stubbornly remained silent, letting Xie Qingyu change her shoes for her.
Yue Yining keenly sensed that Xie Qingyu's aura had changed, as if she had completely given up on putting on an act in front of her.
As expected, after changing her shoes, Xie Qingyu still held her ankle and did not let go.
Yue Yining gradually calmed down, and she looked down at him kneeling at her feet.
Xie Qingyu's resistance was not strong. From beginning to end, he maintained a submissive attitude, never resisting whatever she did, even when it trampled on his dignity.
She couldn't see any of the arrogance and self-respect of a young master from a prominent family in him.
When he reached the summit, he briefly held her leg for a moment, unable to restrain himself. Even so, he didn't dare to use too much force, and was incredibly compliant.
Just like now, he looked at her and gently touched her, as if trying to draw certainty from her, yet afraid that she would shake him off, and dared not take any further.
Xie Qingyu said, "Miss, I'm sorry."
His dark brocade robe rippled softly with his movements, reflecting light gently, highlighting his obsequious and humble posture, making him resemble a beautiful serpent crawling on the ground: "Does Miss find me disgusting?"
He had been deceiving himself for so long, pretending for so long, but at this moment, he still made her see his ugly desires clearly.
My desire for her.
It was just a punishment, but he felt something for it—how shameless! He could no longer defend himself, no longer conceal his filthy thoughts, yet he felt a sense of relief.
Even so, Xie Qingyu's eyes trembled slightly and were moist as he looked at her, filled with a cautious expectation. It was as if he was telling her that if she said she felt disgusted, the light in his eyes would never rekindle.
Yue Yining really wanted to say "disgusting," but when she opened her mouth, it changed: "Do you think you're disgusting?"
Xie Qingyu responded quickly: "Disgusting. Miss is punishing me. I couldn't help myself. I was wrong."
The incense sticks burning inside the house were half-burned and collapsed.
Yue Yining looked at him, let out a long breath, closed her eyes, as if giving up on something: "...Never mind."
"Tell me first, how long are you going to keep me here?" She raised her eyes. "Half a month? A month? Two months? You're keeping me here for the sake of the court, so when do you plan to release me?"
She knew Xie Qingyu's purpose.
There are many officials in the Ministry of War who support the Fourth Prince, so the Fourth Prince will cover up the various chaos and negative impacts brought about by the reform of the border army. The Third Prince and the Eldest Princess have the opposite stance. They hope to use this matter to bring down the Ministry of War and weaken the power of the Fourth Prince. The positions of both sides mean that once the conflict occurs, it will be extremely sharp. It will be a matter of life or death.
As an unrelated third party, the Seventh Prince did not want to see either side win; he only hoped they would both suffer heavy losses. Even if the Seventh Prince did nothing, he would be the one suffering the least, reaping the benefits without lifting a finger.
Xie Qingyu was the Seventh Prince's strategist, so naturally she would consider his best interests. If she were allowed to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice prison, firstly, her life would be in danger, and secondly, her plan to infiltrate the scheme would continue. Now, the Eldest Princess must have made initial progress and breakthroughs. If they were allowed to continue, the Fourth Prince would suffer a crushing defeat sooner or later.
Therefore, Xie Qingyu bribed the people in the Ministry of Justice prison to abduct her midway. Regardless of whether the people in the Ministry of Justice reported her as missing or as a prison break, it would be detrimental to the Third Prince's side.
Yue Yining is the most important strategist on the Third Prince's side, and Xie Qingyu had long since concluded that she was in control of the situation. As long as she was taken away, her communication with the Third Prince's side was severed, leaving her in a state of uncertainty about her fate, which would throw the Third Prince and the Eldest Princess into chaos.
However, she did not know whether Xie Qingyu was aware of the influence of Zuo Yingfeng and Hanmen in the border army reform case; if so, how much exactly.
Xie Qingyu looked up at her and said, "There will be results in less than a month. Haven't you already found out a lot, Miss? When the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince officially go to court and bring the matter to the Emperor's attention, I will let you leave."
"Don't worry, I won't do anything. I will ensure your safety and won't let anyone hurt you." Xie Qingyu's voice softened. "I had this room specially decorated according to your habits. I also personally selected the furnishings and daily utensils."
"Miss, please stay here for now. If you feel uncomfortable or unaccustomed to anything, I will have someone tidy it up or move you to another room. It's all up to you. During your stay in the manor, please relax and do nothing. I have arranged a group of servants to take care of your daily life."
"If you have any needs, please feel free to tell me, and I will fulfill them without hesitation."
Yue Yining looked at him: "What if I say I want to leave here?"
"This is the only one that won't do," Xie Qingyu said softly, as if trying to coax her not to be angry. "But the others are fine."
"If Miss still wants to punish me and take her anger out on me, I will order someone to prepare bamboo whips and other instruments of torture so that Miss can have her way."
"Really?" Yue Yining was almost laughing in anger. She reached out and pinched Xie Qingyu's face, leaned down and stared at him, a half-smile on her face. "I really want to hit you to vent my anger, but only if you're in pain. Otherwise, why would I hit you?"
She now understands just how shameless, despicable, and utterly despicable Xie Qingyu is.
Is letting her trample on and beat him a punishment or a reward?
Xie Qingyu remained motionless. Even though her sordid and unspeakable thoughts had been exposed, she showed no panic. She simply looked at her obediently, saying nothing and offering no explanation.
She was mocking him, but Xie Qingyu saw it differently.
She was so close to him, her long hair falling in strands before his eyes, a faint, pleasant fragrance lingering around his nose. Whether from anger or heat, her lips, more vibrant and rosy than usual, opened and closed before him.
Yue Yining realized something was wrong and released her grip on his hand. Xie Qingyu slightly parted his lips, a warm breath escaping from his mouth. He seemed lost in thought, his eyes dark, his gaze still fixed on her face.
Yue Yining looked at him, pursed her lips, and said coldly, "You want to lock me up, but I won't obediently let you lock me up."
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Author's note: I wrote this for my own enjoyment, so you can all enjoy reading it! [clasped hands]
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