The curtains fluttered in the wind as passion bloomed like conjoined flowers.

This chamber was not Lu Third Young Master’s bedchamber, but merely a small retreat for casual rest. The confined space made their tryst all the more secret and thrilling. Lu Yun carried Luo Lingyu to the couch, turning to press her down, his eye-catching the table he had earlier knocked in half, now hidden by her in the corner. His heart stirred, and he hooked her neck to kiss her.

The young lady beneath him trembled, covering her lips with the back of her hand, laughing until her eyes reddened and tears spilled out. Luo Lingyu said coquettishly: “I- I can’t… Sister Chen Xue, I can’t…”

A vein throbbed on Lu Yun’s forehead.

Each time she called out “Sister Chen Xue,” his expression darkened a shade. He knew the more he tried to stop her, the more Luo Lingyu would deliberately provoke him. So the Third Young Master said nothing, his fingers resting on her wrist, gently caressing. As her arm began to tingle, he leaned down to press against her.

Kissing her hand.

Her hand grew damp, her chest trembling, her eyes even redder.

Then peering through her fingers, Luo Lingyu slightly furrowed her brow. Her long hair tangled with his, her waist held and lifted toward his body. The beauty looking down still wore full makeup, flower-like countenance, hair black as clouds, the beautiful disguise stirring one’s inner fire. And beneath that beautiful mask, her Brother Xuetian was smiling as he bit her fingers. Noticing her peek, he lightly, teasingly raised an eyebrow.

Luo Lingyu particularly loved his brow ridge and bone; when he raised his brow, her face grew hot. Her hand lovingly touched his eyebrow while she could not resist his temptation, embracing his neck and tremblingly parting her lips.

Fragrant, soft, sweet, passionate.

Both shuddered heavily, then Lu Yun’s gaze darkened, his touch growing firmer. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his breathing chaotic. His casual restraint gave way to wild passion threatening to burst forth—he had been controlling the frequency, counting her monthly cycles, not wanting her to become pregnant. Then he had been ill for half a month. Counting now, the last time he had touched her was a month ago.

Once a month.

Sometimes even once every two months.

The Third Young Master’s self-restraint was remarkably strong.

…

If any servants passed by, through the curtains they would see the beautiful scene of two stunning beauties kissing deeply.

Both are in women’s clothing, eyes closed. Light and shadow intertwined as foreheads and necks pressed together. One noble as a crane by water, one as lovely as a blazing orchid. Hairpins fallen, black hair scattered over shoulders, the two women’s eyes closed in intimacy, their breaths intermingling near and far, each with their charm. One beauty pressed the other down, clothes half-undone, kissing until the beauty below whimpered in protest. That resistance, when the surging waves of passion came, merely jumped like spray twice, entirely useless.

Making sounds that quickened hearts and reddened ears.

A feast for the eyes, yet shocking to the heart.

…

Continuously pressed down and teased by Lu Yun. Luo Lingyu didn’t know why, perhaps because he had been ill so long, she hadn’t been intimate with him like this in a while; perhaps because he was disguised as “Chen Xue,” the visual impact of his beauty was too strong. She was especially aroused. No matter how he teased her, she was covered in sweat, embracing him, neck arched back, only wanting to be close to him.

And the more aroused the lady became, the more excited the gentleman grew.

Even one normally so noble and disdainful of female charms, at such times, seeing his beloved lady whimpering tears in his arms, would develop sadistic desires—wanting to bully her, make her cry even harder.

Unfortunately, the conditions weren’t ideal.

There was no long couch for Lu Yun to fully express himself. A sitting couch was insufficient.

He could only suppress himself, making do with compromises. Though he couldn’t fully indulge, it had its special flavor.

Though Luo Lingyu was excited at first, later she cried: “Aren’t you done yet, aren’t you done? You said it would just be a moment, my waist hurts!”

Her clothes were pulled down, the gentleman’s lips kissing her back from behind, making her shoulder blades arch up, trembling as if about to take flight. Kisses fell like rain on her back as the gentleman pressed against her back, his black hair scattered over her body, his movements like playing and plucking strings on her body.

Lu Yun laughed deeply: “You can’t take anymore? But brother has never been fully satisfied.”

Luo Lingyu shuddered.

Then broke into loud sobs: “Go away, you’re making my legs hurt so much, I don’t want you! I want Sister Chen Xue, wuu wuu wuu…”

The voice behind her threatened: “There is no Chen Xue. Don’t mention her again.”

Luo Lingyu’s beautiful eyes shimmered with tears. Though his grip on her waist was painfully tight, that thread of pleasure couldn’t be suppressed. However, when Lu Yun spoke, she thought of Chen Xue again. The young lady burst out laughing, having just been crying hard, now trembling with uncontrollable laughter.

Lu Yun: “Luo Lingyu, are you deliberately provoking me?”

The lady wheedled: “How could I? I just like Sister Chen Xue…”

She turned her shoulder, pressing her lips to his, shoulders shaking with laughter: “I like Brother Xuetian too.”

…

They only spent just over half an hour before hastily finishing.

Luo Lingyu was covered in sweat, curled in his embrace. Lu Yun lowered his head to kiss her, concerned yet probing: “It’s so late… stay tonight?”

Luo Lingyu shook her head, struggling to get up: “I promised a sister-in-law to play qin tonight. If I say I’m not returning, won’t everyone know what I’m doing with you? I don’t want that.”

Lu Yun was displeased at being refused, glancing at the kiss marks on her neck: “…Even if you return, won’t others still know?”

But Luo Lingyu’s nature was extremely determined. Even though Lu Yun kept trying to persuade her to stay, even though her legs were so weak she could barely stand, she still insisted on returning to the Luo family. Sometimes Lu Yun was very annoyed by her resolute will that no one could shake, yet he couldn’t persuade her. Lu Yun could only cover her eyes with his hand, sighing: “Rest a while, let me help you clean up, then I’ll send you back.”

Hearing he wouldn’t stop her, Luo Lingyu was finally satisfied to nestle in his embrace, closing her eyes to doze, easing her body’s fatigue while letting Lu Yun clean up the marks on their bodies.

Because too many things in the chamber had been smashed, and later signs of their activities were also intense, Lu Yun didn’t want to linger here. He didn’t call servants in to clean up, but casually put on clothes, only wrapping the lady in his arms securely before carrying her out, and going to his chambers to have water brought for her to wash.

The Third Young Master Lu carried Luo Lingyu through the deep courtyard.

The servants passing through the courtyard’s eyes twitched slightly, all lowering their gazes not daring to look up, not daring to look at the lady’s clothes the Third Young Master wore.

However, Lu Yun was now an important figure in Nanyang, and many matters required his counsel. As Lu Yun carried Luo Lingyu through the long corridor, his eye twitched as he caught sight of General Wei Zong’s tall figure in his peripheral vision. General Wei was being led by servants toward Lu Yun’s study, separated by one corridor, almost coming face to face with the Third Young Master.

Lu Yun turned his feet, changing direction to avoid Wei Zong.

But Wei Zong was slow to react. He had been looking down, frowning over the conditions proposed by the northern country, coming here to ask Lu Yun’s opinion. When someone passed by, Wei Zong quickly raised his head to see curtains flying in the moonlight, and across the flowered corridor, a lady with cloud-like black hair and a delicate profile.

She seemed to be carrying someone in her arms.

General Wei had rarely seen anyone in this residence and was startled by this lady’s side profile. He strode forward: “Lady, lady… hey, don’t go!”

That lady, separated by several curtains and corridors, walked further and further from him. That graceful brow and eye shadow, that tall figure walking in the moonlight, that calm and indifferent bearing; those flying silk ribbons, those misty silk robes… instantly struck General Wei’s heart, leaving him dumbfounded.

However, the beauty was extremely familiar with the courtyard’s corridors, disappearing from Wei Zong’s sight in the blink of an eye. No matter how the gentleman behind called out thousands of times to chase her, this lady’s heart was hard as iron, absolutely refusing to look back.

Wei Zong stopped dejectedly, pondering for a moment before looking at the servant girl beside him who was guiding the way, her head lowering further and face growing redder. Wei Zong clicked his tongue: “Who is this beauty? How does the Third Young Master Lu have such a beauty in his home?”

The servant girl held back for a long while, not daring to deceive the general, only vaguely saying: “Since it’s the Third Young Master’s courtyard, who else could it be?”

Wei Zong was shocked – that incomparable beauty clearly couldn’t be Lady Luo. Lady Luo wasn’t that tall, and certainly not strong enough to carry another person… The servant girl thought she had already hinted at the answer to Wei Zong, but unexpectedly, General Wei’s whole body trembled as he exclaimed in shock: “The Third Young Master Lu is so bold! He dares to hide such a beauty in his own home!”

The servant girl: “…”

Then hearing the general’s indignant cry: “How could he do this? Isn’t having Lady Luo enough? Does he plan to collect all the beauties under heaven? Won’t he leave any chance for other men? Even if he’s good-looking, he can’t be like this!”

The servant girl was speechless as she watched General Wei break down.

…

General Wei didn’t see the Third Young Master Lu that night, unable to accept that Lu Third Master was hiding a beauty in his residence, he left in a daze. In the following days, when he saw Lu Third Master again, Wei Zong tried to probe indirectly, but Lu Yun avoided answering, not admitting to hiding any beauty.

Wei Zong went to ask Luo Lingyu about the situation, after all, he was also acquainted with her and worried that the beautiful Lady Luo had been deceived by the Third Young Master Lu.

Luo Lingyu’s reaction was even stranger.

Almost laughing but not quite, the lady lowered her head, her shoulders shaking severely, her voice hoarse from suppressing something: “I know… Chen Xue… isn’t an outsider. General, don’t overthink it, my third cousin hasn’t deceived me.”

Wei Zong was stunned, then became enchanted: Chen Xue… just hearing the name, one could tell she was a beauty.

…

Lu Yun didn’t pay much attention to these trivial matters. After recovering from his illness and regaining his health, he began handling government affairs, becoming much more involved in the peace talks between the two countries. The Third Young Master was quite perceptive, always able to see the big picture from small details. With such a superior, the subordinates needed to be extremely vigilant, afraid their reports would be seen through at a glance by this gentleman.

But some people weren’t convinced by the Third Young Master’s reputation.

They believed Lu Third Master relied only on his family background, and that others in his position might not be inferior to him.

This person was the peace talks official sent by the court, called Han Mingzi. As long as Han Mingzi cooperated with Lu Third Master to complete the treaty negotiations between the two countries, after Lu Third Master returned to Jianye, this prefecture’s governor position would be his. While Lu Third Master was ill, the peace talks had progressed well. When Lu Third Master suddenly asked him one day to bring detailed files, Han Mingzi was still full of confidence.

In the chamber, the Third Young Master Lu looked through their side’s records of several negotiations while listening to Han Mingzi speak confidently.

Han Mingzi said: “These conditions were won after half a month of arguing with the Northern Kingdom. If the young master finds no issues, we can report to His Majesty for final approval…”

Lu Yun suddenly interrupted: “Why give Ruyang to the Northern Kingdom?”

Han Mingzi still smiled: “The Northern Kingdom has paid compensation…”

Lu Yun: “If I remember correctly, in this year’s new imperial decree, among the prefectures involved in this war, except for Ruyang, Yingchuan, Nanyang, and others were merged with neighboring prefectures, incorporated into the adjacent provincial territories. That province is under Prince Zhao’s name.”

Han Mingzi’s expression changed slightly: how could the Third Young Master’s memory be so good? Such complex provincial changes, the merged provinces were just an inconspicuous change among them. The Third Young Master was still ill… how could he remember?

Seeing Lu Yun raise his eyes to glance at him: “Hmm, Prince Zhao’s man? Prince Zhao must have expended quite some effort at court to have you sent for the peace talks?”

Han Mingzi’s face turned red: “Third Young Master Lu, don’t sully my name, I just…”

The Third Young Master closed the files, saying lightly: “Negotiate again. The current conditions are unacceptable. I absolutely will not watch His Highness Prince Zhao use public office for private gain.”

Han Mingzi struggled: “But we’ve already negotiated for half a month, and the Northern Kingdom has accepted…”

Lu Yun looked at him quietly: “Negotiate again. I don’t care what Prince Zhao plans to have you do in Nanyang, or what collusion there is with the Northern Kingdom. Since I’m in charge of the peace talks, you must listen to me.”

Han Mingzi was shocked into silence. When leaving the chamber, his face was pale. He had heard the Third Young Master was formidable but didn’t expect him to be perceptive to this degree…

In the chamber, Lu Yun closed his eyes, his fingers curved and tapping the wooden table: it seems Prince Zhao hasn’t given up, wanting to use the war between North and South to stir up some trouble. And if Prince Zhao could stir up this trouble, naturally Prince Chen wouldn’t interfere.

Liu Shu never managed these matters. The Liu Shu that Lu Yun knew would not interfere in disputes between brothers as long as his brothers hadn’t betrayed the country or done anything to harm it. Let the princes fight for power as fiercely as they wished. Liu Shu neither participated nor intervened.

Allowing Prince Zhao to send Han Xingzi to Nanyang to seek power for him.

A cold light flashed in Lu Yun’s closed eyes: Liu Shu had never cared about these matters. But now… Liu Shu should start caring.

After Lu Yun had understood his second brother’s dream, after Lu Yun could guess more clearly than his second brother the direction that dream indicated… thoughts raced through Lu Yun’s mind – even if by force, he had to push Liu Shu in the direction he wanted him to go.

The only headache was that Han Mingzi, this unstable element, jumped up and down, causing trouble in Nanyang. If Lu Yun needed to suppress this person, then the time to return to Jianye would be delayed again.

When would he be able to marry Luo Lingyu?

Lu Yun felt somewhat annoyed.

…

After Lu Yun recovered, the peace talks were overturned and started anew, causing some complaints from both countries. But in Nanyang where the governor held the most power, neither side could say anything, only cooperating with Lu Yun to negotiate again. The Northern Kingdom originally didn’t want to go against the Third Young Master Lu, they didn’t want to go against any skilled debater. The scholars’ eloquence was beyond ordinary people’s comparison.

But Prince Zhao was rash, sending a useless person, ultimately forcing Lu Yun to personally take the field and deal with these Northern envoys.

The Northern people were made to want to vomit three liters of blood daily by Lu Yun’s words, and the lonely Luoyang governor in the Northern envoy team had extremely complex feelings every day hearing his superior return cursing the Third Young Master Lu — he missed his Xuexue.

But his Xuexue would probably never appear again.

He could only see Lu Yun’s proud and arrogant face, looking down on them daily.

As the peace talks continued, the noble families of Nanyang came back to life after the chaos of war. Luo Lingyu was again in the mood to visit the soldiers in the military camp, bringing food and clothes for everyone. Her future husband was elegant and distinguished, praised daily by the Southern people and cursed by the Northern people, and the young lady shared in his glory.

One evening when she came to the military camp, she saw it lit up brightly, knowing the two countries’ people were still arguing in the camp. Lu Yun’s servant told her to wait a while, and that the young master would dine with her after finishing the talks. Luo Lingyu agreed with a smile, not wanting to wait in the tent. She watched the soldiers arguing as they grabbed food, quietly sitting to the side, smiling as she watched them.

In her boredom, she picked up a tree branch and randomly wrote characters on the ground.

As she wrote aimlessly, she wrote a few characters—

“Through the ages, I ask one word from you, may love be unchanging as mountains.”

In the dim lamplight, Luo Lingyu stared at her writing for a long while and was about to erase it with the branch when Lu Yun’s voice suddenly came from behind: “Lingyu, let’s get married. Let’s not return to Jianye, let’s marry here in Nanyang.”

Luo Lingyu was startled, not knowing when he had come over. She turned back sharply, looking up at him in surprise. Her face reddened again with embarrassment, thinking her random writing had made him feel she was pressuring him to marry. Luo Lingyu opened her mouth to explain, but Lu Yun crouched down, leaning in from behind, holding her hand with the branch, embracing her.

Lu Yun held her hand, his wrist exerting force, and quietly added two lines next to her characters—

“Through the ages, I return one word to you, love itself unchanging as mountains.”

Luo Lingyu was dazed, her hand trembling, strength gone. Lu Yun steadily held her hand, transferring his burning warmth to her. He lowered his head to kiss her forehead, saying softly: “This is my response to you… let’s get married, right here. Alright?”

His voice was hoarse and suppressed: “I don’t want to wait anymore… brother loves you too much…”

His breath brushed her face, and Luo Lingyu’s collarbone contracted as she said tremblingly: “I- I… I wasn’t pressuring you…”

Lu Yun held her, about to explain further when a forthright male voice came from behind: “Commander Lu, you’re hiding here? Hey, what are you hiding for, are you that afraid of me? I just wanted to ask you, about Miss Chen Xue, can’t you say something, create an opportunity for a brother? After all, we’ve known each other a while, why aren’t you willing to let me marry a beauty?”

Lu Yun stiffened: “…”

Luo Lingyu in his arms trembled, looking up incredulously to see her lover’s face black as ink: furious.

The romantic atmosphere was completely ruined.

The beauty in his arms was about to faint from laughter.