Yun Ye walked along the palace corridor toward the exit, stepping on moonlight. An inner attendant followed behind to see him off. The moon was very round and bright—there was no need for lanterns for illumination at all. He lowered his head, hiding his face in the darkness. It seemed this way his heart would feel a bit better. Used again, treated as a fool again—it made his emotions extremely dejected.

Just now, he had declined to continue attending the banquet on grounds of an upset stomach, fleeing in disarray under Li Er’s strange gaze. He couldn’t very well say, “I only like your daughter’s body but not her soul.” If those words came out, he’d probably be hung on the city wall to dry for New Year’s.

Li Anlan using the resources she had at hand to seek convenience for her future was beyond reproach. The way of power schemes was just like this. Yun Ye himself was also a person in the circle and should understand the game rules. You use me, I use you—using back and forth like a bunch of idiots.

Compared to power schemes, he preferred using emotions to achieve goals. Li Gang was like this, Sun Simiao was like this, Li Chengqian was like this, even Li Tai and Li Ke were like this. If it were purely about power schemes, he would have been squeezed dry by the Zhangsun couple long ago.

Emotions were sometimes blind, even wrong. Now being bound to Li Anlan’s war chariot by emotions was purely deserved. Being used was also heaven’s retribution. His own starting point wasn’t pure, so having this kind of return wasn’t strange.

A person stood at the wall corner—it was Li Anlan. The bright moonlight shone on her face, her complexion frighteningly pale. The inner attendant didn’t know where he’d hidden. Yun Ye smiled and said: “The long night is endless and I have no heart for sleep. I thought only I couldn’t sleep, but it turns out Princess, you also can’t sleep. Waiting for me here, what do you plan to discuss? Oh, I haven’t yet congratulated you on becoming king of the Liao people. You can rest assured—Feng Ang promised full support. When you arrive there, you’ll have three thousand armored soldiers at your command.”

Li Anlan pursed her lips and said: “I know you don’t like me. This time having Lanling force you into a corner, you must be very angry in your heart. Proud as you are, how could you be toyed with by a weak woman? You’ve always been the one toying with others. The taste isn’t pleasant, is it?”

He didn’t plan to say much to Li Anlan. No matter what he said, it would be a kind of harm to himself. She only had a shell that he couldn’t let go of. This feeling of disappointment was something others couldn’t understand.

He prepared to go around her, but Li Anlan stepped across to block his path again. Yun Ye simply stepped back, sat cross-legged on the ground, and watched to see what she would do.

The weather was very hot, yet Li Anlan wore a cloak. She smiled at Yun Ye and said: “That’s right. Sit obediently. I’ll dance for you to watch. I dance much better than my father emperor and the others. For no other reason than that basket of crabs you sent today—they were really delicious. This is the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in my entire life.”

“You were outside the side hall at that time?”

“Behind the curtain wasn’t just Lanling, you know.” Her answer was playful, as if all things binding her had disappeared.

The cloak fell to the ground. She wore only a gauze garment. The red beans on her chest were clearly visible. Barefoot, she danced on the bluestone slabs. Her waist was flexible—she could touch her own earlobe with her straightened foot. There were no hand drums, no sand bells, only the night wind blowing through from one end of the corridor.

She began dancing the whirling barbarian dance. The pure white gauze garment fluttered. The loose skirt-pants were billowed up by the wind, like a butterfly struggling in the chaotic wind. Her toes spun on the rough stone slabs. After just a few turns, crimson blood flowed out, leaving petal after petal of red plum blossoms on the stone slabs.

Li Anlan seemed to have no feeling, still spinning ceaselessly. The smile on her face never diminished by even a fraction. A small gourd flew from her hand. Yun Ye reached out to catch it. Pulling out the stopper and smelling it, it was authentic Yun Manor fine brew. He tilted his neck back and poured a mouthful—he truly needed alcohol to comfort his confused soul. Li Anlan’s actions completely confused him. She had no need to do these things.

Dancing the whirling barbarian dance was very strenuous, especially since she deliberately chose the most intense section to dance—even more strenuous. Finally, she tired of dancing. Yun Ye didn’t applaud. Li Anlan took the half gourd of wine from his hands and took a big gulp.

She sat beside Yun Ye, laughing softly: “Did I dance beautifully?”

“Very beautiful. This is the most beautiful dance I’ve ever seen.” Yun Ye answered earnestly.

“Then why won’t you marry me? You like me. From the very beginning, you’ve liked me.” Yun family wine wasn’t suitable for women to drink.

“Because I discovered you have a fierce tiger in your heart. Who knows—one day it might run out and hurt people. I especially fear you’d hurt Grandmother, Xiao Ya, and them. Even if you’re important, in my heart you still can’t compare to them. No one can replace them. You can’t either.”

Yun Ye spoke these words resolutely and decisively. Only a fool would harm those closest to him for a moment of personal satisfaction.

“You heartless fellow, can’t you be a bit better to me? Since childhood, I’ve been all alone. Afraid of thunder, afraid of wind. The sound of wind blowing through treetops sounds exactly like ghosts crying. I could only hide under blankets praying the ghosts outside wouldn’t find me. When it thundered, I’d run around in my room because I had nowhere to go. My father was entertaining guests, my mother was in attendance—they had no time to care about me.”

“Later, I boldly stood outside the room. Since no one loved me anyway, I might as well be caught by ghosts and be done with it. I pushed open the door crying. Outside, wind raged and rain stormed, soaking my undergarments. A very loud thunder exploded right above the roof. I was so frightened I fainted. I was discovered by servants and sent back to my room. I had a fever for a full three days.”

“After waking up again, I was no longer afraid of wind or thunder. Tell me—isn’t that miraculous? From that time on, I knew that what I wanted, I had to fight for myself, because no one would give me good things for free. You’re the first person to give me good things. I don’t want you to hate me.”

She whispered and confided in Yun Ye’s ear. Warm breath constantly poured into his ear, itching terribly. Her warm, soft body leaned against Yun Ye, making his mind confused and intoxicated.

The alcohol surged up. His eyes gradually filled with bloodshot veins. Yun Ye was trying hard to restrain his desire that surged like tides. The gauze garment slipped down. Li Anlan’s ice-cold body nestled into his embrace…

The moon also seemed unwilling to watch this scene, shyly hiding in the clouds. Between heaven and earth was pitch darkness. Only heavy panting sounds spread through the corridor. Who knew how long passed before the panting sounds stopped. Yun Ye’s consciousness also recovered clarity. He didn’t push away Li Anlan sprawled on his body, only looked at the wine gourd beside him with a bitter smile.

A man should have the responsibility a man should have. He stroked Li Anlan’s face—it was covered entirely with tears. Yun Ye sighed and said to her: “Why did you do this? You’re about to depart far for Lingnan. When the time comes, find someone you like yourself and live a good life—wouldn’t that be fine? Why destroy your last bit of pride?”

“I drugged you. You don’t blame me?”

“I’m a man, not a woman who complains about heaven and others. No matter how you put it, you’re the one who suffers in this kind of matter. The stake you’ve gambled is too high—using your entire life to gamble on a vague future. It’s not worth it.”

Li Anlan put on her gauze garment and wrapped herself tightly in the cloak again. Wiping away tears, she said: “If I don’t want a man like you, who else in this world could make me fall in love? To control the Liao tribes, I must have a child. Among men, besides you touching me without making me feel uncomfortable, with other people, I’d vomit just thinking about it. The palace physicians said these days are my best time for conception. I’ll only try this kind of thing once. If heaven doesn’t give it to me, I accept it.” Having said this, she leaned against the corridor wall and slowly walked away.

Yun Ye stood up and dressed. That inner attendant appeared again like a ghost, holding a lantern. He wiped the bloodstains on the ground clean with a wet hemp cloth and said to Yun Ye: “Marquis need not worry. No one will know about this matter. This humble one has already been assigned to accompany the Princess to Lingnan.”

He pulled out his money pouch from his bosom and stuffed it all into the inner attendant’s embrace, then turned and walked toward the Eastern Palace. He was staying at the Eastern Palace tonight.

Li Chengqian was lying on a large chair drinking grape wine. The ice fish in the wine bowl knocked against the bowl wall with a pleasant sound. Rather than saying he was drinking wine, it would be better to say he was playing. Yun Ye grabbed the wine bowl from his hand and in one breath poured the wine in the bowl along with the ice fish down his throat.

A cool feeling slid from his throat all the way to his stomach. Only then did his agitated thoughts quiet down a bit. Li Chengqian had great host demeanor. He fished out two more ice fish from the jar, poured him a bowl of wine, and indicated he should continue.

After downing three bowls in succession, Yun Ye threw himself onto another chair in a daze. Everything had happened too fast—so fast he didn’t even have time to think. Now it was also like a spring dream.

Li Chengqian also didn’t speak. He crossed his legs and swayed back and forth, very leisurely. Mosquitoes and insects hadn’t yet grown up—now was the best season for enjoying the cool. Above his head were the bright moon and starry sky. By his side were fine wine and delicacies. Except for not having a beauty, he lacked nothing.

“Say something, Chengqian. The number of times I’ll spend the night here won’t be many more. Your crown princess is about to enter the household.” Yun Ye just wanted to hear some noise now.

“Then let’s talk about why you inexplicably became my brother-in-law.” Li Chengqian looked at Yun Ye strangely.

These words frightened Yun Ye so much he almost fell off his chair. It had just happened—how could he know? He looked at Li Chengqian suspiciously, waiting for him to continue speaking. If he was tricked into revealing the truth by one sentence, that would be too unworthy of all these years of tempering.

“Pretend, keep pretending. Eaten your fill and wiped clean, now you don’t acknowledge it? Let me tell you, from when my sister asked me for Spring Breeze Powder, I knew you were going to have bad luck. Such a domineering drug—do you think my sister would use it on someone else? Plus, you came here looking lost and distracted. If I still didn’t know you’d become my brother-in-law, I might as well not be Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.”

Yun Ye jumped up, straddled Li Chengqian, and pounded him without rhyme or reason. He couldn’t vent his anger on Li Anlan, but venting it on this fellow—Yun Ye had not the slightest burden.

“Don’t hit anymore. Hit more and it’s assassinating the prince!” Li Chengqian struggled to issue a threatening statement.

Yun Ye’s raised fist helplessly came down. It wasn’t that he couldn’t pound Li Chengqian more, but he suddenly discovered it was very boring. He flopped onto the long chair, weakly asking him: “What should I do?”

“What ‘what should I do’? My sister wants a child to inherit her estate in the future. Although it’s a bit remote, it’s still a large estate. You gave her a child. This child will have the surname Li in the future. What does it have to do with you?”