Chapter 23 features Lu and Tao as "sexy" and "eye-catching"...
Tao Qingyang's gaze was firm, filled with an obsessive determination to get what he wanted, which made Granny Xu's heart flutter.
But then she suddenly remembered that from the moment he entered the room until now, he had never inquired about Qin Song's condition, seemingly unconcerned about her safety or her innocence.
She swallowed hard, looking at the young master she had watched grow up, now in this state. She felt both fear and regret, but she didn't know how to comfort him.
Lu Youchuan's wrists were numb and his legs were weak. He had no energy left to waste words with him. "What exactly do you want?"
His eyes were icy cold, his voice trembled slightly, and he lacked strength.
Tao Qingyang, who had been furious just moments before, softened his fierce expression after hearing the weakness in his voice, as if he had thought of a better way than killing the person in front of him.
Tao Qingyang said slowly, "Although I don't care what others think of me, it's hard to say about Sister A-Song. Whether she can bear the strange looks is up to you, cousin."
He's threatening him. He's not letting him reveal what happened last night?
Indeed, he has taken full advantage of the Lei family's scheme. Once Chief Minister Qin leaves the Dali Temple, whoever Qin Song's reputation is associated with will be able to force him to marry his daughter to them.
As long as no one knows that Qin Song spent the night at the Lu family's villa, no one can shake his marriage to Qin Song, which was arranged without prior consultation.
How despicable! He underestimated him completely!
How could he possibly use Qin Song's reputation to force her to marry him?
He could have a thousand ways to get her, but none of them included toying with or trampling on her.
Lu Youchuan looked at him disdainfully, responding with a cold stare.
"However, since we are brothers, and since you are so fond of my fiancée, I will bring her to see you often to ease your longing. I will treat her the way you treat her, and if you touch her, I will discipline her accordingly."
Tao Qingyang's originally gentle smile twisted, and his intense madness sent chills down one's spine.
Granny Xu was so frightened that she took half a step back. So that's how it is. His trip was not for love, but for hate.
He still hates her son.
He still harbors resentment over the case from five years ago, and he came purely for revenge.
Poor young master, poor Miss Qin, poor... Young Master Tao, what good children they were, how did they turn out like this?
Xu Mama's relaxed face was clouded with worry, and she dared not think too deeply about it.
Lu Youchuan's expression was equally grim. He wasn't afraid of being targeted, but he couldn't tolerate him implicating Qin Song.
His hands, clenched into fists beneath his loose robe, were somewhat exhausted from a long night, yet he still couldn't help wanting to slap him across the face. Fortunately, he was never one to be led by impulse.
Tao Qingyang may be crazy, but the person he wants to torment is still him. Only when he is calm enough can Qin Song not only be unharmed, but also be spared the rumors that forced her to spend the night at the Lu residence last night.
But after a moment of calm, he felt it was absurd. There might be more than one way to achieve the best of both worlds. How could he be willing to hand over Qin Song to someone else?
Their hostile gazes suddenly clashed: "That depends on whether you have the ability to take her away."
"Then let's give it a try." Tao Qingyang looked confident and raised his jade flute, placing it on the shoulder of the seemingly weak and exhausted Lu Youchuan. He gathered strength in his wrist, intending to push him away.
Lu Youchuan straightened his posture, not giving an inch.
The undercurrents of struggle erupted in an instant, and the two began to fight, exchanging blows without holding back.
The thing that Granny Xu was worried about still happened. She frantically surrounded the two of them, trying to dissuade them, but to no avail.
The two men were tall and had long legs. When they started fighting, they overturned a lot of furniture and furnishings, leaving the ground in a mess.
Both sides were fiercely competing, eager for a fight to the death.
However, Lu Youchuan was ultimately a civil official and was no match for Tao Qingyang. Moreover, he was unwell and was defeated after only a few moves.
Tao Qing raised his fist straight for his heart, but at the last moment, he withdrew his strength, turned his fist into a palm, and slammed it hard on his shoulder.
The force was fierce, and Lu Youchuan staggered back several steps, almost falling to the ground. A bloody taste suddenly rose in his chest, and he couldn't help but clutch his chest and cough violently.
"You think you're worthy of competing with me for Lord Lu's position after just one night?" Tao Qingyang scoffed disdainfully. "Don't die so easily, or it won't be fun."
Having said that, he brazenly stepped into the backyard.
"Young Master, what's wrong with you? You and Young Master Tao have been evenly matched since childhood, why are you so weak today? Oh dear, your hands are so hot, are you feverish?" Xu Mama watched Tao Qingyang go to the backyard, not bothering to stop him, and hurriedly helped Lu Youchuan up, her eyes full of concern.
After the coughing stopped, Lu Youchuan felt dizzy, nauseous, weak, and powerless again. It was the effect of the medicine; the medicine was so potent that he couldn't resist it.
"It's nothing." He closed his eyes, struggled to sit up, and, supported by Granny Xu, followed her to the backyard.
After passing through the covered corridor, Tao Qingyang arrived at the main courtyard gate. Before he could enter the inner courtyard, a dazed female figure came out.
The woman stood inside the carved wooden door, her black hair flowing over her shoulders. She wore a light blue dress, which was not properly dressed, and her eyes were still sleepy, as if she had been forcibly awakened from her sleep by some noise.
The thawing chill seeped in everywhere, making the house seem even more desolate, but the figure of the beautiful woman brought a rare touch of life to the courtyard.
"Good morning, Sister A-Song." Tao Qing tilted her head and smiled.
Qin Song stared at the crimson figure in the distance, rubbed his eyes, and looked around the empty courtyard. "Why is it you? Where is Lu Youchuan?"
After speaking, Qin Song clearly noticed a slight change in Tao Qingyang's expression, which quickly returned to normal. "Sister Song, you should take care of yourself. If you don't go back soon, Lord Qin will start to worry."
"My father? Has he come out?" Qin Song, having recovered most of his strength, stepped closer to him.
Tao Qingyang raised an eyebrow and nodded, "They were brought out from the Dali Temple before Chenshi (7-9 AM). However, your maid was missing all night."
Qin Song's emotions fluctuated wildly, and she couldn't help but think too much. She tried to turn away, but said, "No, I have to go find Lu Youchuan."
She needed to return to the city immediately; she was anxious to see her father and also to find Yun Qian, and there was no time to lose.
She lifted her leg to take a step, but because of the ordeal of the previous night, her legs were weak, and she stumbled and fell forward.
But the expected pain did not come. Tao Qingyang reacted quickly, stepped forward, and helped her up.
"The Censorate hasn't found the person you're looking for. You have to come with me." Tao Qing looked up, his expression smug.
Qin Song was preoccupied with Yun Qian and couldn't find Lu Youchuan anywhere, so without much hesitation, he had no choice but to follow him out.
Just as they stepped out of the main courtyard, a master and servant rushed over from the covered walkway.
“Ah Song…” Lu Youchuan’s face was anxious, and his breathing was unsteady.
Upon hearing the sound, Qin Song immediately looked over, and the man who had been intimate with her last night finally appeared.
His face was pale, and he supported himself with one hand on a servant and the other on a pillar, seemingly about to collapse: "Don't go."
Why is he like this? He looks like he might faint at any moment. Last night... he wasn't this bad, was he?
Qin Song couldn't bear it and wanted to go forward to check on him, but Tao Qingyang interrupted him, saying, "Don't worry, he won't die, but your little girl might not be so lucky."
Upon hearing this, Qin Song put aside any pity he felt for Lu Youchuan, his mind filled with the perilous situation of the previous night: "Sorry, I have to go find Yun Qian."
Lu Youchuan did not leave the villa all night and was still unaware of Zhang Hu's whereabouts.
He pursed his lips and walked over slowly. "Your injury hasn't healed yet. After you finish breakfast, I'll accompany you."
The man, who was usually arrogant and disdainful of everyone, looked at Qin Song with a hint of nervousness in his eyes.
Qin Song was somewhat worried about his condition, but Tao Qingyang grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer, saying, "The injury was caused by Lord Lu."
The situation was a bit delicate. Qin Song had already sensed a tension, but she was always too lazy to deal with such matters, and besides, there were more important things to do right now. She immediately said, "There's no time. I have to go back to the city now. Lord Lu, please recover your strength and remember to come see me when you get back to the city."
She actually wanted to go up and kiss him, a routine she used to follow when parting from her concubines, but the occasion was a bit awkward, so she held back, exchanged a glance with Lu Youchuan, and urged Tao Qingyang to turn and leave.
As they passed through the porch, Tao Qingyang, with his tall back turned, turned back, his provocative intent sharp as a knife.
Lu Youchuan, who had barely managed to stand up straight, lost his strength again. Watching Qin Song's departing figure, a great sense of loss and melancholy welled up in his chest, causing him to cough violently once more. He felt completely drained and leaned against a pillar in the corridor.
Xu Mama quickly came over and helped him into the house. "Young Master, Miss Qin's identity is sensitive. Why don't you just let it go? Young Master Tao has been cunning since childhood. If he wants to hold onto Miss Qin, he must have made sure he's got everything under control. No matter how much Miss Qin wants to, she can't defy the rules of this world. As an imperial censor, if you're accused of coveting another man's wife, you're finished. Besides, you risked your life to protect Young Master Tao back then. Are you just going to let him turn against you?"
Lu Youchuan was in poor spirits, had no interest in thinking about anything else, and remained silent throughout.
Granny Xu couldn't fathom his thoughts and sighed inwardly, "Even if Young Master Tao doesn't interfere, how could Prime Minister Qin possibly agree? You and Prime Minister Qin are like oil and water. If Prime Minister Qin falls from power, how can she still be at peace with you?"
Granny Xu was filled with worry and asked countless questions along the way.
Lu Youchuan seemed to have heard it all, yet also seemed to have heard nothing at all. In the end, he couldn't hold on any longer and fainted.
Before he closed his eyes, all he knew was that she was waiting for him to marry her.
He couldn't wait to welcome her in.
Once you marry her, you can hide her away for a lifetime.
·
At the entrance of the hot spring villa, armored soldiers stood in formation, and Tao Qingyang brazenly led Qin Song into the carriage at the entrance.
"Return to the city immediately." The steady male voice gave the order, and the carriage suddenly started moving.
Qin Song was awakened by the sound of a cup shattering. After a quick wash, he left his room.
With Yun Qian not by her side, she was dressed haphazardly, showing none of the demeanor of a well-bred young lady.
Tao Qing sat upright in the main seat, calmly observing her intently.
Her hair was not tied up, her black hair fell to her shoulders, her cloak was not fastened, her clothes were not closed, her snow-white neck was exposed, her delicate collarbone was like a nimble butterfly wing, and ambiguous red marks were faintly visible, making everything look even more sexy and eye-catching.
Thinking of this, he suddenly came to his senses and realized that he had actually used words like "sexy" and "eye-catching" to describe his gaze towards her.
It was as if he had finally realized the difference between genders for the first time, or rather, he saw richer and more subjective qualities in her than in others.
He was stunned by this discovery, and the smile on his lips vanished without him noticing.
Qin Song was unsure what Tao Qingyang was thinking as he stared at him, so he silently adjusted his clothes. This action, in turn, dispelled Tao Qingyang's inexplicable annoyance.
"I am your fiancé." He smiled, his tone calm, neither blaming nor tender, as if he were correcting her on how to greet people politely.
Fiancé? Qin Song had almost forgotten about that. She shrugged. "It was just an act. Did General Tao really take it seriously?"
Tao Qing looked up and moved her gaze away from her neck, meeting her ruthless eyes. Her tone was playful, like a rogue: "But everyone in the court knows that we are already engaged, so this charade must continue. Of course, it's not your fault. Who can resist the charm of Sister A-Song? If it were me, I would also make a mistake."
That's a good level of awareness, but unfortunately she's not buying it. "Then you're not so lucky."
She doesn't like dirty men.
The weather was cold; even inside the train carriage, it was still freezing cold after the ice had thawed.
Qin Song rubbed his arms and confidently tilted his head back and raised his chin at Tao Qing: "It's cold, give me your cloak."
Tao Qingyang's fingers, which were holding the flute, curled slightly. What a unique young lady! She reached out for the clothes of a stranger without any hesitation.
He felt even more resentful. Since she had chosen Lu Youchuan so firmly, why did she not avoid suspicion in front of him at all?
If she is as reckless and unchaste as the princess, then why is she now completely unmoved by him?
No, last time... she even asked him for a kiss.
Could it be?
Tao Qingyang touched his mask thoughtfully.
"Fine, don't give it to me then." Seeing that he didn't respond, Qin Song hugged his arms and curled up into a ball, ignoring him completely.
He stared at her for a long time, then slowly removed his mask, revealing a face that would make countless beauties pale in comparison. Her affectionate and tender eyes were undisguised, captivating yet unapproachable.
He was so beautiful, a bewitching yet wild beauty, with a cunning and unpredictable yet not fierce aggressiveness.
Qin Song was mesmerized. He finally reached out and untied the cloak around her neck, leaning closer to tie it back on for her personally. His gaze traced the vivid red marks on her delicate neck: "Sister Song, do you know that you enjoyed a warm and cozy night in the tent, while I spent the whole night freezing in the snow..."
As he spoke, he leaned closer and pulled her long, loose hair out from under her cloak.
As he bent over, his entire chest pressed against her right shoulder, and the scent of rosemary was intoxicating.
Perhaps it was because her soul had experienced countless human affairs, making her more sensitive than others, that the close contact with him caused her body to inexplicably heat up, driving away her trembling chill.
"Persecuted" by this atmosphere so different from the one in the original world, Qin Song was lost in his "seduction," whispering like a puppet, "We last night..."
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Author's Note: Who would believe it? This chapter took me two weeks to write! The next chapter will be a recap of the female protagonist and Lu (ellipsis).
Precautionary note (highlighted): ① Lu does not have kidney deficiency; he is perfectly healthy. The problem lies with the medication.
② Tao said he wanted to torture the female lead, but in reality he wanted to torment Lu, not actually harm the female lead.
To further explain the source of the male protagonist's medicine mentioned earlier: the medicine given to the female protagonist by the male favorites in the palace is the same one used by the eunuch and Minister Lei. The fragrance exhaled by the female protagonist is an aphrodisiac that can make men unable to resist, and it can also neutralize the aphrodisiac given to the female protagonist by the empress, and at three times the dosage.
——
Here's a brief update on the current developments in the relationship between the main characters:
The girl believes that love equals sleeping together. She is currently slightly attracted to Lu, but she thinks that he is just trying to use her, so she will not only dote on him.
Lu Youchuan likes the female lead, but not enough. He can control his body now, but he can't control his possessiveness towards her. He just wants to marry her and hide her away. He's secretly jealous every day. When he gets positive feedback from her, he starts to fight and snatch her away. When she shines, he will change his possessive feelings into a sacrificial love. "She is free and should not belong to anyone."
Li Yu is a pure love-struck, loyal puppy. He fell in love with the girl at first sight. He gets excited when she calls him by his name. He trusts her unconditionally. If she commits a murder, he would hand her the knife and help her cover up the scene.
Tao Qingyang, needless to say, is still in the self-destructive stage. Right now, he only wants to use the female lead as a tool to get revenge on Lu Youchuan. As he acts, he starts to take it seriously. Unfortunately, the female lead thinks he's too into acting. The more self-destructive he is now, the more he'll suffer later. Of course, cough, when the female lead hits him, it only makes him feel good, cough, that kind of yandere attribute.
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