Yuan Yu stared at Li Weiyang in shock, unable to speak. In his own territory, she actually demanded that he execute his own guards—had she gone mad!

Not only Yuan Yu, but even Zhao Yue, who sat on the side unable to stand, and Bai Zhi, who was attending to her, looked at Li Weiyang with expressions of disbelief.

Yuan Yu’s handsome face darkened: “Li Weiyang, have you misunderstood something?” He wasn’t afraid of her exposing the matter—he simply didn’t want the trouble.

“If those six don’t die, Prince Yan will have to kill me. Then you’ll face interrogation and pressure from the Empress Dowager, the Seventh Prince, and my father, Prime Minister Li. They’re not fools—this matter will explode before you even leave Dali. That alliance document you just stamped with the imperial seal will crumble to dust. Prince Yan is far-sighted and wise—you shouldn’t need me to say more about which path to take.”

Yuan Yu had originally thought she was just a little woman he could manipulate at will. He’d captured her thinking a few threats would be enough to frighten her. For the sake of her own reputation, she would swallow it silently and afterward pretend she’d never seen him. After all, he’d never imagined there truly existed a noble young lady in this world who didn’t fear having her reputation ruined… But if he actually killed her, things would become very troublesome, because she was, after all, the Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter, the Prime Minister’s daughter, and a princess of Dali. He didn’t dare estimate her value or predict the consequences of killing her. So he didn’t dare take that gamble.

But she wanted him to kill his six most capable guards—that required careful consideration. He immediately changed the subject: “Let’s set that aside for now. I have questions for you.”

Li Weiyang said sternly: “Kill them first, then ask!” After speaking, she fixed him with a cold stare, her icy intent seeming to trigger the sound of wind and thunder in the empty air.

Yuan Yu stared at Li Weiyang intently. He had never expected to be threatened by her, and fury burned in his heart. He found this woman truly arrogant, unreasonable, and boastful. “Do you know how much effort I spent to recruit these six people!” You’re clearly my hostage, yet from the moment you arrived, you’ve done nothing but demand I kill people—why should I submit to your threats?! He suppressed his anger and said deliberately: “Furthermore, what crime have they committed? Why should they die?”

“For attempting to sabotage the peace talks and tear up the alliance between our two nations, these six are guilty of heinous crimes and must die! Prince Yan, regardless of why you abducted me today, the delegation’s true purpose is still the peace talks. The alliance document was just signed, yet you couldn’t wait to intercept the Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter, even recklessly killing people on the official road. Tell me, if Nanjiang hears of this, what will they think? Or will they seize this opportunity to send people to Dali to form an alliance and jointly oppose Yuexi? Your sister Princess Anguo’s actions can be excused as a young girl’s willful ignorance, but you—a prince already enfeoffed—your every word and deed represents Yuexi’s dignity and position. If your current behavior becomes known, I guarantee neither His Majesty the Emperor of Yuexi nor Empress Pei behind the scenes will be pleased. She’ll only say: I gave you a task you failed to complete, yet you ran off to sabotage the peace talks—what a useless waste! I imagine Prince Yan, so eager to prove himself, doesn’t want to be called useless.”

Yuan Yu’s face turned green at her words, but more than that, he felt unprecedented shock. She had deliberately deceived him earlier, dotting sesame seeds from the pastries on her face to try to get away. He thought his lecherous wastrel disguise was very convincing and had fooled Li Weiyang. He’d originally planned that once he achieved his goal, he’d brush it off as imperial family playboy romance. After all, he’d learned the Empress Dowager planned to marry Li Weiyang to him—this would become a story of love at first sight, mutual devotion at second meeting, and no one would examine the actual circumstances too closely. But if Li Weiyang refused to let the matter rest and insisted on making a scene about Prince Yan sabotaging the alliance, with Yuexi and Nanjiang performing a charade to deceive Dali—if such rumors spread, even if they didn’t ultimately affect the alliance, given Father Emperor’s temperament, he would definitely chop him into mincemeat—

Yuan Yu stood frozen in place for a long time. Li Weiyang was clearly certain of his investment in this alliance and was using it to threaten him. The worst part was, even knowing this, he had no choice but to submit to her threat. He had two options: one, kill those six guards. Two, kill Li Weiyang. He desperately wished he could choose the second, but from start to finish, he couldn’t take her life, because she was very useful. If she died without explanation, all his plans would be wasted.

“When one hesitates at a critical moment, disaster follows. Prince Yan had better think carefully!” Li Weiyang leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes in contemplation.

Yuan Yu didn’t move. Although these six were merely subordinates whose deaths wouldn’t pain him, they were all trained shadow guards. Even among Yuexi’s imperial family, a true shadow guard was worth a fortune. He only had twelve, and he’d brought them all on this trip. Was he supposed to lose half for Li Weiyang’s sake? Wouldn’t that pain him so much he’d want to bash his head against a wall? Furthermore, he always preferred slow, meticulous work. Even when killing people, he liked to romantically drive others to death rather than crudely chopping off heads—that was so beneath him.

He looked at Li Weiyang, his eyes flickering: “Princess, why must you demand these six lives? I know they accidentally injured your maid. I’ll immediately send someone to treat her, guarantee her swift recovery with not a scar remaining, and have them come in to kneel and apologize to the Princess. The Princess is magnanimous—for my sake, please spare their lives.”

Li Weiyang smiled, looking at Yuan Yu as if he were a fool.

Yuan Yu’s face turned iron blue. Li Weiyang was relentless, insisting on those six lives.

Li Weiyang felt not the slightest mercy in her heart. These so-called shadow guards had all killed countless people—which one didn’t have over a hundred lives on their hands? If she now demanded their lives to account for Zhao Yue’s blood, what was wrong with that?

“Princess, you’re a young lady—your heart should naturally be kind. Creating such killing karma, you should be afraid at night.”

Li Weiyang’s expression remained calm, showing almost no reaction, as if she hadn’t heard what Yuan Yu said at all.

Zhao Yue and Bai Zhi exchanged confused glances. They were completely baffled by the situation—weren’t they the ones who’d been abducted? How had the abductor become the one constrained at every turn?

Yuan Yu’s expression became unbearably ugly. “Li Weiyang, do you really think I don’t dare kill you? I dared to abduct you—killing you here would be no difficult matter!”

Li Weiyang remained like a stone statue, showing no reaction to anything he said.

Yuan Yu, enraged and exasperated, shouted: “Six mere lives—I, the mighty Prince Yan, don’t take them seriously! I’m thinking of you, so you won’t regret it later!”

Li Weiyang’s gaze was calm and contemptuous. She wanted him to know that Li Weiyang was absolutely not someone who could be bullied and humiliated. Now it was those six guards—in the future, Prince Yan Yuan Yu naturally wouldn’t escape either. This was all just a matter of time. She didn’t seek out trouble, but she wouldn’t avoid it. On the contrary, whenever trouble came looking for her, the killing intent that constantly stirred in her heart would emerge faintly.

You delivered yourself to my door—why should I fear?

Even Yuan Yu, who was always ruthless and merciless, felt a sudden chill rise in his heart under Li Weiyang’s gaze. This young woman possessed a strength and dominance no less than Empress Pei’s. Empress Pei was Yuexi’s empress, the Pei family’s phoenix—what was Li Weiyang before him?

Yuan Yu angrily drew his long sword and swung it fiercely before Li Weiyang, yet she didn’t even blink. He suddenly felt an indescribable sense of defeat. How could such a stubborn woman exist in this world? Didn’t she know her own life was still in his grasp? What right did she have to bargain with him! But—but it had to be said, every word she spoke touched on his greatest concerns! Yuan Yu had a flash of inspiration—yes, Li Weiyang was defending her maid—his long sword suddenly pointed at Zhao Yue’s neck. Zhao Yue couldn’t even stand, let alone resist.

“Li Weiyang, if you continue being so arrogant, I’ll kill your maid.”

Li Weiyang’s heart trembled slightly, but her face showed no emotion, as if Yuan Yu held not a long sword but a piece of wood.

Zhao Yue lowered her eyes. She vaguely understood Li Weiyang’s true reason for acting this way. If they showed weakness now, they would forever be at the other party’s mercy. Conversely, Li Weiyang’s forcefulness served two purposes: to vent her own anger, and to warn Yuan Yu that her status and position absolutely did not permit his guards to act above their station! Since they dared to attack, they must pay the price in blood!

People are inherently base. If Li Weiyang were now crying and begging for mercy, Yuan Yu would only trample her further. But now that she was cold as ice, making such forceful demands, it instead made Yuan Yu wary and worried, because he couldn’t kill her and couldn’t figure out what trump cards she held.

“Fine, since you want them dead, verify it yourself!” Yuan Yu, pushed to the extreme, furiously threw down his long sword.

Shortly after, attendants brought up six severed heads. Yuan Yu unveiled them one by one before Li Weiyang, forcing her to look. Li Weiyang merely watched with an indifferent expression. Even when Bai Zhi beside her couldn’t control her vomiting, she remained unmoved.

Bright red blood spread across the blue floor tiles. Yuan Yu waved his hand, and immediately someone removed the six heads. He sneered: “Now can you speak?”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly: “Naturally. I wonder what Prince Yan wishes to say?”

Her face had been cold as ice, but now smiling, she was indescribably lovely and charming. Yuan Yu was startled. In all his days, he’d seen gentle, refined ladies from good families, dignified and proper daughters of great houses, and frivolous, seductive courtesans. Among countless women, there were those with vicious hearts, arrogant and domineering temperaments, and clever, cunning minds. The one who changed faces fastest was his own arrogant, domineering sister Princess Anguo, but compared to her, they all seemed inadequate. Just now Li Weiyang had been as fierce as a wolf, but smiling now, she seemed even more pure than a lotus flower.

He was a bit confused, unable to figure out what kind of person Li Weiyang really was.

He thought to himself: “This Li Weiyang has an unyielding nature—I need to change my approach to deal with her.” He immediately smiled at Li Weiyang: “Though you’re young, you certainly have presence. Very well, since you’re the destined choice for my princess consort, from now on stay by my side, and I guarantee you’ll enjoy endless blessings.”

Li Weiyang smiled: “What kind of endless blessings?”

Yuan Yu was momentarily stunned, then laughed: “Whatever you want, you’ll have it all!”

Li Weiyang smiled gently: “I want the moon from the sky, the reflection from the water, the head of your Empress Pei—will you give me those too?”

Yuan Yu’s expression changed, fury rising uncontrollably. He wanted to curse, but seeing Li Weiyang’s smile, he immediately suppressed his anger: “You’re an intelligent person—you should know that your Emperor and Empress Dowager have already agreed that after the alliance, you’ll marry me as Princess Yan. You’re going to marry me anyway—why put on airs? If you’re willing to serve this prince, I won’t hold your earlier actions against you. I’ll have someone treat your maid’s injuries and send you back properly.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yue couldn’t help but spit in disgust, glaring silently.

Yuan Yu forced a smile: “I am Yuan Yu, fourth son of the Yuexi Emperor. Though you’re the Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter, you’re actually just a prime minister’s daughter, and a concubine-born one at that. The status of Princess Yan isn’t beneath you. Furthermore, I’ve just demonstrated my sincerity—shouldn’t you also show yours?”

Li Weiyang looked at him, a faint smile with hidden mockery on her face: “Oh? Sincerity? What sincerity does Prince Yan want?”

Yuan Yu’s smile faded. He walked before Li Weiyang, his gaze pressing on her like a wolf’s: “Li Weiyang, I ask you—that Third Young Master of the Li family, what exactly is his background?! I’ve heard he’s an adopted son—so where did you find him?”

As expected, he suspected Li Minde’s identity.

Li Weiyang said calmly: “Doesn’t Prince Yan think his question is strange? For families like ours who want adopted sons, we naturally select them from branch families.”

Yuan Yu naturally knew this. He’d investigated—there truly was such an orphan in the Li family branches, born with both parents dead, raised by an uncle, then brought back to the main Li household at just over a year old to become the adopted son of the third branch. If the Third Madam were still alive, he could find a way to question her, but she had died, and that uncle had also passed away. No one had actually seen that child with their own eyes, so he had no way to confirm Li Minde’s identity.

Originally, if Li Minde were from an ordinary family, it wouldn’t matter if he was or wasn’t—kill him to eliminate future troubles. But he happened to be Li Xiaoran’s nephew, naturally so handsome that he drew admiring crowds wherever he went, creating commotions—not someone who could simply disappear. Any rash action would likely greatly impact the alliance. However, from the moment Yuan Yu arrived in Dali, he’d felt someone secretly watching him. Today he’d gone to great lengths to shake them off—he wasn’t sure if this was Father Emperor’s arrangement, but it made him even more suspicious of Li Minde’s identity.

He glanced at Li Weiyang, his brow showing pained emotion, his voice hoarse: “Princess, I actually bear no ill will. Years ago, I had a younger brother who was abducted before birth—we don’t know where he ended up. My Father Emperor misses him greatly and has searched everywhere these years, unfortunately all in vain. When I came to Dali, I happened to meet your cousin Li Minde by chance. My first instinct was that he belongs to Yuexi’s imperial family, yet I didn’t dare recognize him rashly. You know, my imperial brother wasn’t born to the Empress, so Mother Empress has always hoped he wouldn’t reappear. I feared that recognizing him rashly would bring him trouble, so I wanted to find the truth from you. Rest assured, I absolutely bear no ill will—Father Emperor merely asked me to search secretly—” His voice choked here, tears glistening in his eyes.

Li Weiyang watched him put on such a sincere performance, completely different from his earlier demeanor. She immediately guessed that he’d originally planned to frighten her into revealing the truth, but seeing her stubborn attitude, had switched from threats to coaxing. Unfortunately for him, whether his attitude was hard or soft made no difference to Li Weiyang.

“Prince Yan, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I can tell you—my cousin Minde’s surname is Li. As for his background, you’ve surely investigated it thoroughly. I don’t know what made you connect him to your imperial brother, but if he truly were, I would certainly tell you. After all, acknowledging one’s ancestry is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?”

Yuan Yu stared at Li Weiyang for a long while without speaking. He realized he had no way to deceive her. His eyes swept over her beautiful face, and the tears in them vanished like a magic trick, replaced by a different expression: “Princess, you’re truly a heroine among women, making me respect you even more. If I marry you, I’ll certainly cherish and love you, never neglecting you. But as the saying goes, those who understand the times are outstanding. You must think carefully—if you don’t answer honestly, I have plenty of ways to humiliate you until you have no choice but to speak.”

Hearing this, Li Weiyang raised her head, her eyes containing cold intent, though her mouth held a light laugh: “In that case, I could actually help. The tortures of this world are varied and numerous—I’m familiar with them all. If Prince Yan is interested in using me for experiments, that’s fine too.”

Since Yuan Yu didn’t plan to kill Li Weiyang, he naturally wouldn’t leave obvious scars on her body—torture simply wouldn’t work.

Li Weiyang, seeing his increasingly agitated appearance, laughed: “Oh, I forgot—you need to keep me alive. In that case, why not use hundreds of silver needles to pierce my acupoints? I’ve heard that sensation is like tens of thousands of ants gnawing, leaving no surface wounds but causing unbearable pain. Would Prince Yan like to try?”

Yuan Yu saw her smiling face but extremely serious eyes, clearly not joking at all. He couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart.

“If silver needle acupoint piercing won’t work, shall we try other methods?” In Li Weiyang’s words there wasn’t half a trace of fear—she merely looked at him coldly, as if truly offering him suggestions.

Yuan Yu’s handsome face almost twisted. He turned and quickly strode out, the curtain slamming down with a sharp sound. Soon guards entered and forcibly escorted Zhao Yue and Bai Zhi out. Li Weiyang glanced at Zhao Yue’s faltering steps and slowly closed her eyes.

She could have demanded that he treat Zhao Yue’s injuries, but that would give Yuan Yu a handle on her weakness. He’d know she was protecting her maids and would use them to threaten her. So the more Li Weiyang appeared not to care, the more he’d feel those two had no use value and wouldn’t trouble them excessively.

Li Weiyang was left alone in this luxurious room, spending the longest night of her life.

She kept her eyes closed trying to rest, but couldn’t sleep, her mind rapidly calculating the entire situation. She sat like this for two full hours. It seemed near evening when she suddenly looked alertly at the door. Indeed, the door was pushed open, but the person entering wasn’t Yuan Yu—it was two beautiful young maids. Both carried trays holding gorgeous garments and jewelry. One respectfully knelt before Li Weiyang: “Princess, our prince requests that you change clothes and dine with him.”

Others threatened first then offered favors, but Yuan Yu had clearly reversed the order. Li Weiyang knew Yuan Yu appeared very domineering but was actually deeply suspicious. If she’d shown the slightest cowardice toward torture earlier, he would have used such methods against her. After all, the world held countless secret techniques to make people tell the truth, and Yuan Yu, raised in the palace, could think of all sorts of terrifying schemes. But Li Weiyang showed no fear whatsoever, even actively helping him strategize, making him completely unable to gauge what she was thinking, so he simply changed tactics.

Li Weiyang refused to dress up or apply makeup, wearing only her own clothes as she walked out first. The two maids exchanged glances, not daring to say more, and respectfully walked ahead to lead Li Weiyang. They soon brought her before a room. One proactively pushed open the door for her, then both withdrew together.

Li Weiyang slowly walked in. This room was even more luxurious and magnificent than the previous one, yet not vulgar—instead creating an atmosphere of elegant refinement. Not a single superfluous decoration was visible. Even a potted plant or painting was placed in the most appropriate position, displaying extraordinary taste. While traveling, he could have stayed at the embassy, yet he’d deliberately purchased this residence in Dali—clearly this was long premeditated.

Walking in, Li Weiyang saw a handsome young man sitting at the table, apparently waiting for her all along. If earlier he’d been a vicious kidnapper, now he’d transformed into an elegant, refined young gentleman of the mortal world. Seeing her enter, he smiled slightly.

Regardless of what kind of person he was, his appearance alone was indeed extremely outstanding.

Li Weiyang knew the Yuexi imperial family was renowned for beauty. She’d previously seen the delicate, lovely Princess Anguo, and now the impossibly handsome Yuan Yu. No wonder people said all members of the Yuan clan were beauties, and the men were often a hundred times more outstanding than the women. Young ladies of Yuexi all wanted to marry them as husbands, and married women would willingly abandon their families to elope with them. One could imagine how handsome these men were.

She’d heard that when the Yuexi Emperor was still crown prince, his incomparable beauty on horseback through the streets would attract young women who followed him frantically, seeking his love. To gain his favor, some women would fight each other, abandoning feminine modesty. Some from humble backgrounds, unable to enter the palace or win his favor, even committed suicide. In his fury, he finally had to wear a mask to go out, but even so, he still attracted countless crazed admirers. Now his sons had clearly inherited this outstanding appearance and seemed to surpass their father.

Yuan Yu’s smile appeared very charming: “Today’s matter—I was truly too rash. I feel deeply ashamed and hope the Princess will forgive me! Fortunately those six reckless guards have already died as atonement, and the Princess suffered no harm, otherwise my offense would be great indeed.”

Li Weiyang looked at him coldly, not a trace of emotion in her eyes.

Yuan Yu frowned slightly. In the past, when he smiled, countless young women would fall for him—why did Li Weiyang now remain unmoved?

Actually, Li Weiyang did know he was outstanding, but having looked at Li Minde’s world-toppling face for so many years, even the most handsome were just that. Furthermore, Yuan Yu’s appearance was still three degrees inferior to Li Minde’s. Moreover, Li Weiyang was inherently cold-hearted and somewhat disgusted by beautiful faces. The more gently Yuan Yu smiled, the more nauseated Li Weiyang felt. Fortunately Yuan Yu didn’t know Li Weiyang’s thoughts, or he truly would have coughed up blood.

“Today I’m inviting the Princess to dine with me. Afterward, I’ll personally escort you back.” Yuan Yu appeared very sincere, speaking as if earnestly regretting his behavior and sincerely repenting to Li Weiyang.

The dinner on the table was also prepared perfectly—eight meat dishes, eight vegetable dishes, eight soups, and eight cold appetizers, with various pastries, candied fruits, steamed and fried snacks aplenty… all in Dali’s style, clearly prepared with some thought. But offering a slap then a sweet date—did Prince Yan think her too simple?

Li Weiyang smiled lightly. This wasn’t strange at all. She did appear to be a young girl in her prime on the surface. Having exhausted other options, he’d resorted to the honey trap.

Yuan Yu’s attitude was impeccable. Add to that the saying about not hitting a smiling face, Li Weiyang merely asked: “Where are my maids?”

“I’ve already sent a physician to examine the injured Miss Zhao and applied medicine. With just a few days’ rest after returning, she should be fine.” His tone was extremely indifferent. In his eyes, Zhao Yue was merely a maid, a lowly servant—she didn’t deserve pity, much less an apology.

Yuan Yu’s contempt for her maid made fury burn in Li Weiyang’s heart, yet she showed not the slightest anger. The current Prince Yan appeared so elegant and gentle. But he could turn hostile at any moment and put them all to death. Li Weiyang had originally thought her only enemy was Tuoba Zhen—that thinking was wrong. Some people would come looking for you even if you didn’t seek them out. Like the provocative Princess Anguo, like Prince Yan Yuan Yu who’d abducted her.

However, she didn’t plan to accept this meekly. She would make them weep bitterly for today’s actions. Of course, if they could still cry by then.

Prince Yan looked at her, slowly saying: “Just tell me—who exactly is Li Minde? In recent years, who has he been in contact with? Who has been secretly helping him behind the scenes? Then not only will I release you, I’ll welcome you back to Yuexi with great ceremony. I will never break my word!”

Li Weiyang looked at him with astonishment: “Prince Yan is asking me to give false testimony. What kind of person do you think I am? What kind of person do you think you are?”

Li Weiyang’s expression was cold and innocent, making Yuan Yu pause instead: “Don’t you want to marry me? I’m Prince Yan of Yuexi, possessing countless wealth. Yuexi is far richer and stronger than your Dali. Marrying me would be much better than being a princess in name only in Dali. I’ve heard that due to your excessively fierce personality, no one even dares marry you? Marry me—I guarantee you’ll become the exalted Princess Yan. Don’t you want to be like ordinary noble ladies, supporting your husband and raising children, being a virtuous wife and good mother?”

“Princess Yan?” Li Weiyang suddenly laughed loudly: “Virtuous wife and good mother—what are those? Supporting husband and raising children—what’s that? Wealth and glory—so what!” Her laughter clearly held indescribable mockery.

Yuan Yu said uncomprehendingly: “Don’t you know what all this means?”

At this moment, a stick of incense was lit on a nearby jade table. The fragrant smoke rose, and Yuan Yu’s brow relaxed slightly. He deeply inhaled the scent, and his pale complexion gradually flushed. Li Weiyang, smelling it from a distance, found the fragrance indescribable, seeming to create a floating, illusory sensation. She sneered coldly, though her face remained perfectly clear.

She slowly said: “Virtuous wife and good mother—those are just to make men happy, self-deception! Supporting husband and raising children—those are just to keep women docile, stuck in place! Wealth and glory become someone else’s in the blink of an eye. How could I be smug and proud over prosperity in a cage! Even if I married you, what would I gain? The title of Princess Yan? Prince Yan, stop joking with me. I don’t want those things, nor do I care for them!” In this lifetime, she would never again live to make others happy.

Yuan Yu was stunned. From an instinct born with him, he vaguely felt the young woman before him must have strange and profound troubles. But he truly couldn’t guess—she seemed to have everything except marriage prospects. What troubles could she have?

Yuan Yu smiled apologetically: “Princess needn’t be angry. I’m merely speaking honestly. Even if you truly don’t wish to participate in a marriage alliance, I naturally won’t force you—to each their own aspirations. How about this: if you fully reveal everything about Li Minde, I’ll propose to Dali’s Emperor to change the marriage alliance candidate. What do you think?”

Li Weiyang’s face showed not a trace of joy: “I’ve said countless times—Minde is a member of our Li family, with no connection to your Yuexi imperial family. You insist I falsely accuse him and try to learn more secrets from him. If you want to know, why not go find him instead of coming to ask me?”

Yuan Yu thought to himself: If I could capture him, would I need to go through the trouble of catching you? Everyone in the capital knows the Third Young Master Li and Princess Anping are closest—if you don’t know his secrets, who would! He glanced at the nearby incense burner, a mysterious smile floating on his face.

Li Weiyang, you keep saying you don’t care about your reputation, but what if you truly lost it? Could you still remain so calm and composed?

Li Weiyang noticed Yuan Yu’s gaze and her eyes also fell on that incense burner. Among imperial families, there were many secret incense powders, though different from the common aphrodisiacs outside—they were merely used to heighten pleasure. What Yuan Yu used was the Wandering Ease Incense, once popular among various imperial families, worth a fortune and extremely effective. However, it only worked to enhance intimacy when both parties were already infatuated. Yuan Yu used this incense clearly because he was too confident in his own appearance, thinking himself irresistible, believing even Li Weiyang must be enchanted by him.

Such narcissism was truly laughable.

Li Weiyang didn’t know that Yuan Yu wasn’t narcissistic—he’d simply had so many beauties throw themselves at him in his own country that he viewed Li Weiyang as another woman who could be easily captured. After all, as a noble young lady, she might not fear various tortures or remain unmoved by soft words and pleas, but what if she lost her virtue? Wouldn’t she have to loyally follow the man? Then it wouldn’t be him begging her, but her desperately clinging to him to tell him everything.

He followed Empress Pei’s orders to secretly investigate the whereabouts of that male infant from years ago. Empress Pei suspected someone among her own people was a traitor, allowing that child to escape ahead of time. All these years, Empress Pei had been secretly investigating who that traitor was and who had been sheltering this child. In her view, besides the Yuexi Emperor, there must be many others involved… This meant that to eliminate this child, she must also root out all the forces within the country opposing her. So Yuan Yu had to obtain from Li Weiyang the appearances and names of those people. Perhaps they hadn’t directly contacted Li Weiyang, but as long as she was willing to cooperate, he had ways to ferret them out and catch them all in one net!

Yuan Yu slowly stood and walked toward Li Weiyang. Step by step he approached until he was so close Li Weiyang could feel his breath. His voice was extremely gentle, almost coaxing: “Princess, from the first moment I saw you, I felt you were very intelligent, the kind of woman I want. But why do you help Li Minde? He can give you nothing. On the contrary, everyone wants him dead. If you stand on his side, you’ll only be implicated by him. But I’m different! A little beauty like you—why destroy yourself—”

What Yuan Yu said next was less for Li Weiyang’s ears than him talking to himself: “Though he’s Father Emperor’s son, he can never be acknowledged. He’ll never even be officially announced. You must know—he’s the product of incestuous siblings, so everything and everyone will be his enemy, all wanting to eliminate him first. If you keep covering for him, you’ll implicate yourself too.” Speaking passionately, he suddenly grabbed Li Weiyang’s hand, murmuring: “I’m not one bit inferior to him—”

These words sounded so familiar that Li Weiyang couldn’t help but find them laughable. But laughing at a handsome man like this, he might think her mad or blind to his looks. So she merely said softly: “I truly cannot understand you.”

Yuan Yu’s eyes suddenly shed tears. He was actually crying before her—begging, as if praying: “I’m so afraid. You know, when I told you Father Emperor sent me to find my imperial brother, I was actually deceiving you. The truth is, as you said, Empress Pei sent me! She said if I can’t bring back the heads of Li Minde and those secretly opposing her, I’ll pay the price! I’m truly terrified! I shouldn’t have to bear this—right? Could you bear to let someone like me die?”

Yuan Yu wanted to use his handsome appearance to arouse Li Weiyang’s sympathy, pity, even tender affection. His tears seemed genuine, as if truly filled with fear of future misfortunes. If Li Weiyang were an inexperienced young girl, she would certainly be unconsciously bewitched, because such a desperately pleading beautiful youth was much more lovable than the earlier vicious Prince Yan.

The person before her had been a cruel beast moments ago, now transformed into a helpless youth. Countless transformations, all with one purpose—the former to frighten Li Weiyang, the latter to win her pity. The dignified Prince Yan laughed when told to laugh, cried when told to cry—his acting skills surpassed even professional actors. Li Weiyang couldn’t help but shake her head. As a man, he begged her without feeling the slightest shame—truly unbelievable. However, Prince Yan’s methods were indeed masterful. At least Tuoba Zhen had used various threats and inducements, but crying and begging like this—he still disdained to do such things. This sort of thing wasn’t something just anyone could do.

Li Weiyang looked at him, her gaze seemingly very gentle, yet hiding a blade within that gentleness: “Prince Yan, Wandering Ease Incense is a good thing, but excessive use will slowly cause addiction. Looking at your condition, this isn’t your first time using it. I advise you to think carefully about how to break the addiction.”

Yuan Yu’s tears froze on his face. That extraordinarily handsome face was half tears, the other half had become unbearably twisted. His mouth twitched for a long while before he slowly stood up, stepped back several paces, and looked at Li Weiyang: “You clearly knew I’d lit Wandering Ease Incense, yet still watched my performance—are you treating me like an actor?”

Li Weiyang sighed: “I certainly wouldn’t treat you like an actor. This was your voluntary performance for me—why should I refuse?”

“You—” Yuan Yu had never encountered someone like her. Previously when he wanted to extract information from women, if they feared death, he used torture. If that didn’t work, he used wealth and glory. If that failed, he used his appearance and status. The last resort was desperate begging—and that final trick was most effective, especially with young girls. They were most gentle and sentimental. No matter how they pretended to be chaste martyrs, they’d eventually surrender beneath him. As long as they possessed the common weakness of humanity, as long as they had compassion, he had great confidence in success.

Who could refuse a beautiful youth who wholeheartedly adored you, who would die miserably without your help… So he’d never failed before!

“Li Weiyang, you’ve been playing me all along!” Yuan Yu’s last shred of patience was finally exhausted. He swept the table over, letting the exquisite dishes shatter across the floor, instantly tearing through his cultured, affectionate exterior to reveal an incomparably savage expression!

All day long, he’d used every method available, and now Li Weiyang had completely driven him mad!