Tie Ci’s “Don’t…” hadn’t even left her mouth when she was stunned by his next action.

Murong Yi’s arm swept through the air with graceful determination, and his outer robe flew up, floating down leisurely to cover Tie Ci’s mouth.

He turned his head and blew out the candle with a puff. Moonlight slipped through the window lattice in a single beam, casting light on his shoulders and back like frost on snow.

His entire form was smooth-muscled, skin like bright jade, with beautiful lines, eight-pack abs, a V-cut, and perfect shoulder angles.

All the physical beauty that Tie Ci had ever heard of or witnessed, he possessed.

Tie Ci gazed in intoxication at this male body as perfect as a jade sculpture, where adding or subtracting even a fraction would be wrong. She couldn’t help but reach out to touch gently, thinking that she’d seen him shirtless before – why wasn’t it as shocking as tonight?

So shocking that her nose grew warm and tears of excitement were about to flow from the corners of her eyes.

She didn’t even notice that in this weather, Murong Yi wore nothing under his long robe.

When her fingertips touched his skin, the warm, elastic sensation made her sigh with pleasure, and she flicked her fingers against it, then flicked again.

Murong Yi drew in a breath.

Tie Ci suddenly discovered she couldn’t pull her hand away…

Not only couldn’t she pull it away, it was sliding downward…

“This, this, this… this isn’t quite proper…” Tie Ci sternly refused while firmly grasping Murong Yi’s lower abdomen.

Her grip made Murong Yi chuckle low, and his hand swept again.

Tie Ci immediately knew there would be benefits and opened her eyes wider than bronze bells.

With a whoosh, his belt undulated like a snake through the air and hung on the crossbeam.

Robes rustled as they piled at the foot of the bed – black brocade outer robe covered with white inner garment, moon-white brocade robe falling afterward, the faint sound of tearing, jade-colored undergarment sliding silently down with broken ties, tangling with this pile of brocade.

Golden hooks swayed with the crisp sound of jade striking stone, gauze curtains half-fallen and half-gathered.

On the tall stand, white orchids in a black porcelain jar flowed with long tendrils, gracefully drooping.

Hidden within the faint fragrance was an ambiguous atmosphere that drifted through the window lattice, making this autumn night’s wind pulse with tenderness, rising and lingering at the tips of yellow leaves, causing brittle branches to echo with delicate sounds like comfortable moans in the night.

Occasionally the autumn wind would turn fierce, sweeping wildly – a sudden storm that feared neither withered yellow nor fallen red.

Black hair intertwined together, carrying the subtle scent of sandalwood leaves. Night lightly painted the slender form, making the thin sheen of sweat on the skin gleam like pearls. Murong Yi seemed to glow with ethereal light, while within the scattered hair those eyes were beautiful, wild, soul-stealing with their laughing yet relentless gaze – both celestial and sensual.

A “thud” came from the bed, as if heaven and earth had turned upside down. Someone was giggling softly, “Fine, if you want to be on top, then be on top…”

“Tired? Let me support you…”

A crisp “smack” – who knows what was struck, the echo lingering.

The wind outside came and went, rising and subsiding. Fallen leaves swirled leisurely on the ground as if rain was about to fall. Purple light flashed across the horizon, piercing the long sky like a giant dragon plowing through the heavens.

With a rush came sudden rain, moistening this soft red earth.

Chi Xue stood under the eaves by the courtyard gate, her back to the door, eyes watching the rain while her mind was blank, thinking of nothing.

Before her sat two large buckets of hot water.

More than an hour ago, she had brought people carrying these buckets to the door, but stopped abruptly when she saw the lamplight in the inner room extinguish.

Then she dismissed the servants and stood guard alone at the courtyard gate.

The hot water in the buckets had grown cold. Though the rain had lessened, it continued steadily, seeming to last through this long night, thoroughly irrigating the long-parched earth.

Chi Xue sighed inwardly, thinking she’d probably have to stand guard all night.

Such good stamina.

Footsteps approached from ahead – long legs visible under an oil-paper umbrella.

Chi Xue’s heart jumped, thinking of a certain umbrella-loving person. Surely not.

The umbrella tilted, revealing Dan Shuang’s face. Chi Xue breathed in relief, seeing Dan Shuang beaming but trying to suppress her smile. Tonight’s date must have gone well.

But then she grew nervous again.

Dan Shuang had always harbored some resentment toward Murong Yi and was utterly loyal to His Highness. If she discovered tonight’s situation—

Chi Xue quickly approached, taking the initiative: “Why are you back so late?”

Dan Shuang had noticed the bucket of cold water and was about to ask, but this question made her feel guilty. She coughed: “Going to sleep now.”

“Then hurry along.”

Red-faced Dan Shuang turned away.

Chi Xue sighed in relief.

Suddenly a “thud” came from inside the room.

This sound came at intervals. Chi Xue had grown numb counting them. Initially she’d blushed and wondered what they were doing to make sounds that carried across half the courtyard, feeling shy at her own speculation.

Later she thought expressionlessly: demons fighting, up and down – normal.

But hearing this sound now, her scalp tingled.

Dan Shuang stopped, asking in amazement: “What’s that sound?”

Chi Xue: “Probably His Highness rolled off the bed.”

“What kind of joke is that in the middle of the night?”

The probability of the Crown Princess rolling out of bed while sleeping was about the same as Consort Jing suddenly being able to wield a broadsword.

Besides, across a whole courtyard, how could people at the gate hear someone fall from bed inside a room?

Dan Shuang turned back: “No, I need to check.”

“Don’t.” Chi Xue grabbed her. “Don’t wake His Highness – you know her sleep isn’t very good.”

“There are strange sounds from His Highness’s room and we don’t investigate?” Dan Shuang looked Chi Xue up and down. “What’s wrong with you today? You’re acting strange.”

She noticed the cold water in the bucket: “What’s with this water?”

Chi Xue: “His Highness’s bath water. I brought it out but haven’t taken it away yet.”

“This water is completely cold – His Highness finished bathing long ago, right? Instead of removing the bath water, what are you doing standing here in a daze? No, I need to take a look.” Dan Shuang shouldered past Chi Xue toward the door.

Chi Xue’s martial skills were never a match for Dan Shuang’s. Grabbing her shoulder, she shouted upward: “Come out! I know you’re there! If you don’t want your master to hate you forever and never marry Dan Shuang, hurry up and take her away!”

Dan Shuang: “What nonsense are you talking!”

A shadow flashed in the tree and Mu Si appeared. Glancing at the courtyard with knowing yet jealous eyes, he immediately grabbed Dan Shuang.

Chi Xue felt much more relieved. She’d guessed that after the date, Mu Si would definitely want to escort Dan Shuang, but Dan Shuang wouldn’t let him. Both being stubborn types, Mu Si would certainly follow secretly.

Mu Si grabbed Dan Shuang and leaped with her into the tree. Dan Shuang fumed: “What are you doing! What are you two being so sneaky about!”

She continued struggling. Mu Si could barely restrain her and had to whisper something in her ear.

Dan Shuang suddenly stopped.

After a long pause, she slowly turned to look at the inner room, then at Mu Si: “Huh?”

Mu Si nodded with envy and jealousy, pressing his fingertips together and making an obscene poking gesture.

The pure maiden stared at those fingers for a long time before vaguely understanding the meaning, letting out a cry as her hair stood on end.

With a “bang,” Mu Si was kicked out of the tree.

Chi Xue: “…”

Useless!

Dan Shuang stood in the tree, looking at the inner room. Her face flushed red, then she shrieked and leaped from the tree, using its height to vault over the wall toward the inner room.

Still in mid-air, cold light flashed as her blade was already drawn.

Dan Shuang was furious!

It must be that bastard Murong Yi with his honeyed words and sweet talk, deceiving His Highness into losing her virtue!

What status did His Highness hold, what manner of person was she? Even if she were to accept Murong Yi, it should be after all problems were resolved, after he was carried into Ruixiang Palace with grand ceremony, proclaiming it to the world!

This improper union without matchmaker or betrothal – how could it be worthy of His Highness?

If word spread, how would His Highness face her ministers and people?

Moreover, Liaodong’s attitude remained unclear, His Majesty hadn’t approved the marriage, and many obstacles between them remained unresolved. Once His Highness gave herself to Murong Yi, many future matters would become passive.

His Highness had truly been bewitched by that demon, how could she be so confused!

Dan Shuang was so angry her rage attacked her heart. She wanted nothing more than to rush in and slay the demon fox who bewitched her master!

She was still in mid-air.

Suddenly “crack” – a roof tile shot out from the main building’s roof, striking Dan Shuang’s knee. Her leg went soft and she fell straight down into the center of the courtyard with a “thud.”

Tie Ci’s voice drifted out lazily: “Dan Shuang, don’t disturb my sleep.”

Dan Shuang: “Your Highness!”

“Shh—” Tie Ci said. “Making such a racket in the middle of the night – do you want everyone to know?”

Dan Shuang immediately lowered her voice by eight decibels: “…Your Highness! You cannot—”

“I cannot lose, right.” Tie Ci said. “Seven up, eight down – I still need one more time. Go to sleep.”

Dan Shuang: “…”

They say women become shameless after being deflowered. Would she be trapped in the nightmare of hearing the Crown Princess tell dirty jokes daily from now on?

No, that wasn’t the point…

She was about to say more when suddenly wind roared fiercely. With a crash, the window lattice exploded into countless fragments, and through the debris came a black shadow thundering toward her.

Murong Yi’s voice was slightly hoarse and impatient: “Say one more word and I’ll kill you.”

Dan Shuang hastily raised her blade but found she couldn’t resist that murderous black shadow at all.

Until the next moment – “bang” – a muffled explosion as the shadow burst before her, shattering into black jade fragments on the ground with half an orchid bloom falling in the mud. Only then did she realize it was the black porcelain orchid vase from His Highness’s room.

That was rare black porcelain, probably carefully arranged by Dean Rong for His Highness. Now it was shattered into countless pieces.

Dan Shuang lowered her eyes, dragging her blade as she retreated from the courtyard to stand on the other side of the gate.

She and Chi Xue flanked the entrance like two door gods.

After a night of wind and rain.

The autumn day was clear and bright, the vast sky washed clean.

Those who had stood guard all night looked haggard, while the one who emerged from the door was refreshed and energetic.

At dawn, Chi Xue had reheated water and sent it in, leaving the bucket at the door without daring to raise her head.

The door creaked open. Murong Yi wore only an outer robe, exposing half his chest and eight-pack abs, emerging with complete satisfaction as he lifted the large water bucket with one hand.

He placed the water in the center of the room, turned back with a smile: “Come, wife, let your husband help you bathe…”

Just read and comment within the paragraph sections. Let’s not discuss this in the main comments.