Since she had invited him so, wouldn’t it be unromantic and wooden to refuse?

So the man ungrudgingly gripped her chin and fiercely kissed her lips, waiting for her to strike back.

But unexpectedly, this woman seemed to know the taste of pleasure, actively entwining her tongue with his, offering no resistance, and showing no intention of lulling him into vulnerability before attacking.

In this wilderness, the lady seemed even more passionate than usual…

The man was somewhat incredulous, so his large hand moved gradually down from her soft cheek. The lady gasped softly by his ear: “Oh my, you rogue, how wicked you are…”

After speaking softly, she again welcomed his advances, as if her previous men had never satisfied her.

At this point, before the lady had enough, the man was the one who couldn’t bear it anymore.

The lady was too compliant; no matter how he took liberties, she didn’t resist, not even showing a moment’s muscle tension or stiffness.

Though it was his hand gripping the lady’s waist now, just thinking about this woman using such feminine wiles on others—and using them endlessly—made his teeth ache with sourness and the back of his head throb with pain as if pierced by needles. His movements became somewhat rough.

Compared to the man’s anger and turmoil, Xiaoying’s thoughts were much simpler.

She thought to herself: No wonder they call it ‘wild love.” Making love in this desolate wilderness indeed had a unique flavor.

If it wasn’t urgent, she truly wouldn’t want to stop, but if she angered this gentleman further, he might really leave her without strength to walk.

So, with some reluctance, she grabbed the man’s bold wrist: “The night is cold and chill. Would the gentleman be willing to take me to a warmer place to continue our dewdrop romance?”

Though Feng Yuan had a bad temper, he rarely became angry enough for his fingertips to tremble. Hearing her words, he couldn’t help but pin her against the tree trunk again, saying with icy coldness: “Yan Xiaoying, what are you trying to do?”

Yan Xiaoying deliberately sighed: “Oh, it’s still you! I thought I might get to change partners!”

As soon as she finished speaking, her internal organs felt like they were being squeezed out by an iron vise-like grip.

Xiaoying could only sensibly surrender, kissing his chin: “Alright, I detected your scent as soon as you approached. If it were someone else, would I have let him? What a fine gentleman, always jealous and petty!”

But what angered Feng Yuan wasn’t just her deliberate pretense of mistaking his identity.

“You were heading west earlier. Where were you planning to go?”

Xiaoying said, “There’s a salt business branch at Five Li Slope. I need to find somewhere to stay, don’t I?”

“And then?” Feng Yuan smiled mockingly. “After reuniting with your foster father’s men, where did you plan to go? In any case, you weren’t planning to return to the capital, right?”

Xiaoying was silent for a moment: “If I continue to stay by your side, I’ll only burden you. Mu Hanjiang didn’t cause trouble this time only because he thought I was a harmless lady desperate to save her brother. If he knew my background, how could he be so tolerant? Wouldn’t you be implicated then? The matter of the fake Crown Prince is always a ticking bomb that could explode and bring you down with it, making it impossible to recover.”

Toward the end, Xiaoying’s nose filled with an unstoppable sourness, and she reached out to embrace his waist: “I… I’ll miss you too, so let me hold you for a while, just for a moment…”

Feng Yuan didn’t move, allowing Xiaoying to embrace him for a while.

Xiaoying closed her eyes in sadness, and suddenly she heard a click. She abruptly looked up and coldly asked: “What have you shackled me with now?”

Now there was another set of shackles on her wrists, making it impossible for her to release his waist even if she wanted to.

This fellow was truly addicted, actually bringing these to retrieve her.

Feng Yuan lifted her like an infant and carried her to a carriage that had been waiting in the woods.

Because of the shackles, Xiaoying could only hang from him like a baby. After entering the carriage, she raised an eyebrow and asked: “Where’s the key? You didn’t throw it into the lake again, did you?”

Feng Yuan looked down at her, then extended his hands to the sides, raising and lowering her arms.

“Didn’t the lady say she was cold and wanted a warm place? Is this warm enough? If the lady is still cold, this virgin body of mine will surely warm her up!”

Feng Yuan clearly remembered her words before Mu Hanjiang, distancing herself from him, and now he coldly mocked her.

Xiaoying looked down at the shackles on her wrists. Unlike the crude implements used for criminals, these were fine pieces inlaid with gold, jade, and jewels. The inner circle that touched her skin was even lined with silk-wrapped cotton.

It looked more like a luxurious bedroom accessory made by an ingenious craftsman.

Where did he get such a thing? Mu Yanyan was right—when gentlemen grow up, they naturally know how to be wicked!

Xiaoying’s eyes sparkled slightly. She wanted to say something improper, but Feng Yuan sealed her mouth with his, preventing her from speaking at all.

The double act they performed in front of Mu Hanjiang was false, but Feng Yuan’s dark desire to lock this woman away forever was real!

From the moment the lady was taken from the prince’s mansion, his men had been following and monitoring her, knowing that Mu Hanjiang had brought her to the villa.

He had expected this woman to escape that very night, but unexpectedly, she stayed at the Mu residence for nearly two nights.

Given her abilities, there was no reason she couldn’t escape on the first day. What in the Mu household had bound her feet?

Thinking of the look in Mu Hanjiang’s eyes when he gazed at Xiaoying—concealing but revealing—Feng Yuan had been steeped in jealousy these two nights. Plus, he worried that something might happen to Xiaoying alone, so he had been in torment, almost breaking into the Mu residence to take her away regardless of the consequences.

Now that this woman had returned to his embrace, her slender wrists adorned with silver-wrapped iron chains looked even more delicate and white. Her slightly open collar contained an irresistible, exquisite landscape.

The magnificent peaks were right before his eyes—how could one not want to explore and climb them?

But Xiaoying truly had many things to discuss with Feng Yuan. She could only flip over and press down on the gentleman, deliberately coaxing: “Enough now. I know you’ve been waiting outside for a long time, but I haven’t seen you for two nights and missed you so much I couldn’t sleep. Look at my eyes—I have dark circles!”

In the light of the carriage lantern hanging by the window, Feng Yuan only saw a tender, lovely face, and truly couldn’t see any signs that she had become haggard from being apart from him.

Xiaoying rolled her face against Feng Yuan’s solid chest again, speaking softly: “Don’t be angry anymore. I truly didn’t want to leave the capital. I overheard Duke Ding and his subordinate talking, saying that Fu Ansheng had overheard Princess Anqing conspiring with someone about Princess Ye’s ambush.”

Bringing this up successfully diverted Feng Yuan’s attention. He slowly sat upright, holding Xiaoying as she recounted what she had heard.

“If it was truly Princess Anqing’s doing, how could I leave the capital without taking her head?”

When Xiaoying said this, her face was smiling, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes, which were filled with murderous intent. How could the Little King of Hell add a name to her ledger and leave lightly without collecting a life?

Feng Yuan had never considered Princess Anqing’s character noble, so after hearing this, he wasn’t particularly surprised. He merely stroked her hair and said lightly: “So you’re not staying because of me?”

This page simply couldn’t be turned, could it?

Xiaoying sighed: “What do you want? If I become your concubine, Mu Hanjiang will expose my past! How will you face your father, the Emperor, and the court officials then?”

“Marry me. Don’t worry about anything else!” Feng Yuan seemed to have thought this through long ago, saying it without blinking an eye.

Yan Xiaoying was almost amused by his anger. If she didn’t know his cunning nature, she would truly think he was like the bull-headed Third Prince, a rash young man confused by love!

“Very well! If you can get His Majesty to agree to you marrying a woman who looks like the Crown Prince, is unknown, of lowly birth, and secretly engaged in robbery and murder, then I’ll marry you!”

Xiaoying’s agreement wasn’t sincere. Wasn’t Feng Yuan just caught up in this issue and unable to let it go? What would it matter if she agreed?

As a member of the Feng family, what had ever been his own choice from childhood to adulthood? Everything was beyond his control, merely a piece in a chess game of power and wealth.

But everyone occasionally indulges in extravagant dreams. If he wanted to dream of flying with her like mandarin ducks, she would indulge him.

Even if he wanted to be a real husband and wife with her at night, she wouldn’t object.

After all, in this lifetime, she had never met a wild-natured gentleman like Feng Yuan who moved her heart and suited her taste so well.

Although he was both mad and wicked, misunderstood and despised by the world as not a good man, and often lost his temper with her.

But being with him, Xiaoying could genuinely feel that he loved her, Yan Xiaoying, from head to toe—no matter what she did or what she became, this love remained deep and unchanging.

Even though she wasn’t as rule-abiding as other ladies and occasionally used crude language, Feng Yuan’s eyes had never shown a hint of surprise or disgust.

She had never thought about this before.

But in the prince’s mansion, when she cursed Feng Yuan in front of Mu Hanjiang and saw Master Mu’s pupils suddenly dilate in shock, Xiaoying finally realized something.

Although Feng Yuan sometimes blandly mocked her for not being ladylike, he never showed any surprise at her behavior, but silently and frankly accepted everything about her.

Just like when she failed to jump off the cliff, and the first time she whispered unreservedly in his ear, cursing him loudly, Feng Yuan remained undisturbed, even smiling…

Whether she understood the etiquette of the inner chambers, knew how to support her husband and teach her children, or could wash her hands and cook soup—Feng Yuan’s steady, unchanging gaze toward her gave Xiaoying, who had grown up drifting and homeless, exposed to the elements, a sense of reckless security.

With keen self-awareness and no intention of falling in love, Xiaoying accidentally let a seed take root. By the time she discovered it, this affection had already sprouted. It grew wildly in the wind…

When she wanted to uproot it completely and forget him in the rivers and lakes, it proved somewhat difficult.

Hearing Xiaoying’s insincere promise, Feng Yuan’s madness subsided slightly. He rubbed his high, straight nose against her cheek: “You said it yourself. Don’t deny it when the time comes.”

Xiaoying thought to herself: if I can’t handle your thoughts, can’t I handle your father’s?

Getting Emperor Chunde to agree? What kind of spring dream was this?

But outwardly, she smiled sweetly: “How could I casually lie and deceive? Be good, quickly untie me—I want to hold you properly!”

After a series of insincere sweet talk, Feng Yuan finally unlocked the chains.

Xiaoying picked them up curiously to examine them. Upon learning that there wasn’t just one set but a complete collection from top to bottom, her eyes looked up and down at Feng Yuan with mischief, as if wanting to use them on him and indulge herself freely.

By the time the carriage reached Five Li Slope, the sky was beginning to lighten.

Xiaoying nestled in Feng Yuan’s warm embrace, sweetly taking a nap.

So when Meng Zhun lifted the carriage curtain, what he saw was Xiaoying, like a monkey, clinging to the tall gentleman and sleeping soundly.

Meng Zhun was about to glare, but the cold-faced gentleman raised his finger in a gesture not to disturb, carefully setting down the lady before disembarking. He pulled Meng Zhun to a distance from the carriage before saying, “Ying’er hasn’t closed her eyes all night and has just fallen asleep.”

He had completely failed as a foster father, unable to look after his foster daughter properly. He didn’t know how to explain this to the Yan brothers.

Meng Zhun suppressed his anger: “Now that Mu Hanjiang has exposed Xiaoying’s impersonation of the Crown Prince, if she stays in the capital, she’ll surely be in danger. I’ll take Xiaoying away now and return to Jiangzhe.”

Feng Yuan shattered Meng Zhun’s plan with just one sentence: “Xiaoying has discovered the details of what Fu Ansheng overheard back then.”

Upon hearing this, Meng Zhun’s eyes widened, and he urgently questioned.

But before Feng Yuan could speak, Xiaoying’s voice came from the carriage: “I’ve only gathered a little information and don’t know the full story. When I find out more, I’ll tell you, Foster Father!”

Feng Yuan turned to look at her, knowing she deliberately didn’t want him to speak.

As for why, it was too simple.

Her foster father had just been exonerated and could finally return to a normal life. But if he knew that the enemy was none other than Princess Anqing, the path to justice through official channels would certainly be fraught with difficulties.

The only path left would be to sneak into the poisonous woman’s bedchamber and personally kill the enemy—a path of no return.

Xiaoying didn’t want Meng Zhun to enter that old nightmare again, only wanting to resolve the nightmare for her foster father, so naturally, she didn’t allow Feng Yuan to speak.

Meng Zhun was anxious to ask more, but Xiaoying’s vague words smoothed things over.

When they were alone, Feng Yuan asked: “Why do you want to play the hero alone again?”

Xiaoying shook her head and said, “There’s just one thing I don’t understand. If Fu Ansheng truly had life-threatening secrets about Princess Anqing, why did she only intercept and imprison him rather than kill him to silence him?”

Feng Yuan gave a light laugh. It wasn’t that he couldn’t think of this point; he simply didn’t want to find any excuse for Princess Anqing.

This doubt, even if it occurred to Feng Yuan, was treated as if it didn’t exist.

He said flatly: “Regardless, I won’t let that old hypocrite off, so… does it matter why she kept Fu Ansheng alive?”

Xiaoying didn’t speak. She also knew this day would eventually come, when Feng Yuan and Mu Hanjiang would completely turn against each other.

No matter how justifiable Feng Yuan’s reasons were, he would be the one who killed Mu Hanjiang’s mother. This hatred would create endless strange enmities between these blood brothers.

So if that day truly came, it might be better if she played the villain. After all, she and Mu Qing didn’t have much of a relationship; they were originally enemies who had crossed paths several times. Adding more grudges wouldn’t matter.

However, she couldn’t return to Prince Ruixiang’s mansion for now, and she was unwilling to go to Master Xiao for another beating. So she stayed with her foster father, quietly waiting for an opportunity to approach Princess Anqing.

Feng Yuan didn’t like this decision. He stood to the side in silence for a moment, then said faintly: “If you… secretly leave, no matter where in the world you go, I will find you…”

Those last few words seemed to have been ground over gravel, coming out with piercing coldness.

This gentleman had been troubled by her casual words. Xiaoying could only use the energy of comforting a child, hugging his waist, and swaying: “Alright, do you want me to swear to heaven? Even if I leave, I’ll let you know first.”

This answer was asking for death in Feng Yuan’s view.

But Feng Yuan didn’t bother trying to extract any heartfelt truth from a habitual liar. He only gave Xiaoying a deep look before turning to board the carriage and leave.

After Feng Yuan left, Meng Zhun unconsciously let out a long breath.

From the moment he met this young gentleman, Meng Zhun had felt somewhat suffocated by the ominous aura surrounding him.

People said the Grand Prince resembled the Late Emperor, and he truly had an imposing imperial presence.

So he wondered how a young woman like Xiaoying could get along so well with such an unapproachable, murderous gentleman.

Now, seeing the two finally separate, during meals and tea, Meng Zhun seized the opportunity to advise Xiaoying that the Grand Prince was not a good man, and she mustn’t let him ruin her life.

They were now eating at a noodle stall at Five Li Slope. Xiaoying ordered a plate of sesame oil fried noodles, but only took two bites before stopping. She asked if others thought the noodles had a rancid oil smell.

Xiao Wu and the others were wolfing down their food, and upon hearing this, they deliberately chewed a few more times, all shaking their heads, indicating that the fried noodles were salty enough, spicy enough, and extremely delicious.

Xiaoying forced herself to eat another strand despite the heavy oil taste spreading on her tongue, finally realizing: it wasn’t the fried noodles’ problem, but that she had grown accustomed to luxury!

After entering the capital, the food Xiaoying ate was either Sun Shi’s home cooking, or delicious dishes stir-fried and stewed by Feng Yuan according to her taste, or the signature dishes of the prince’s mansion’s chefs.

Her palate had become spoiled to the extent that she couldn’t stand the fried noodles from this small rural stall!

Xiao Wu, seeing that Xiaoying could barely eat, brazenly took her plate and wolfed it down along with his own.

Xiaoying felt her still-hungry stomach and decided to stand up and supervise the stall owner in making another plate.

Weren’t they using the same ingredients? She couldn’t believe they could be cooked so unappetizingly.

The stall owner was a fifty-year-old man who, having just picked his nose, grabbed a handful of mung bean sprouts and threw them into the wok.

Xiaoying couldn’t help but retch a little, trying to persuade the stall owner to wash his hands before cooking.

But the stall owner glared at her fiercely: “Who do you think you are, some precious lady? If you think it’s dirty, go to a tavern in the capital that costs five taels of silver per meal! I don’t wash my hands even after taking a shit, so what’s wrong with picking my nose?”

Fine, Xiaoying decided this meal could be skipped. She would look for someone selling baked buns later—at least they would be cleaner after going through the oven!

Just as she turned to leave, a young gentleman wearing a cloak and hood stepped down from a carriage, approached the stove, frowned at the stall owner’s black fingernail crevices, and said coldly: “Wash your hands clean and give me two bowls of fried noodles!”

The stall owner thought the young gentleman was with Xiaoying and that they were ganging up to make trouble. He immediately scowled, tapping the wok’s edge with his spatula: “Who do you think you are? I refuse to sell you fried noodles. Get lost!”

The gentleman wasn’t as easy to deal with as Xiaoying. He suddenly reached out and gripped the stall owner’s wrist, pulling sharply, then kicked the stall owner to the ground. Stepping on his back, he asked: “Don’t know how to wash your hands? Then let’s just cut off those dirty hands!”

With that, he brandished a curved saber and held it against the stall owner’s hand.

The stall owner screamed in terror, repeatedly begging for mercy.

After the gentleman withdrew his blade, the stall owner scrambled away to wash his hands at a water vat nearby.

Logically, Xiaoying should have felt somewhat vindicated.

But she had been standing to the side, feeling that the young man’s voice sounded somewhat familiar.

Only when he drew his curved saber did Xiaoying suddenly realize—wasn’t this the villain from Wei Country who had held the Imperial Tutor and his wife hostage in Yuxiu Village?