Li Qiongyu didn't seem to expect a reply. She let out a soft chuckle that was quite chilling in the quiet, dark chamber.
This was the underground imperial city he had personally built for her, a real illusion where the two of them could live forever.
He had fantasized about it many times in the dead of night.
But now, he was no longer satisfied with such pretense.
He wanted to marry her openly in Shangjing City, to live in the real world.
Therefore, he would personally set a trap for her, waiting for her to walk right into it.
Outside the Yun Garden gate.
Wei Qingge was about to turn and leave when she suddenly heard strange noises from inside.
Her curiosity was piqued, and she couldn't help but investigate.
"Brother Liu?!"
She called out softly, only to hear a woman's playful laughter.
Wei Qingge bit her finger in confusion and crept further inside.
But before she could enter the room, she saw through the window a scene on the nearby couch: a man and a woman, naked, kissing.
Wei Qingge stood frozen in shock, watching as the man turned his head, his familiar face contorted with desire.
She cried out in alarm, her entire body feeling as though it were being torn apart by ten thousand ghosts, the pain making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
"Qingge?!"
Liu Rongruo quickly picked up the robe from the floor and covered them both.
"Brother Liu, you—you two—"
Liu Rongruo tidied his clothes and slowly walked towards her, his face as placid as ever.
"Why are you here?"
Wei Qingge looked at his indifferent expression, tears welling up in her eyes, uncontrollable.
"Qingge, don't cry. I know what you're thinking, but I only see you as a sister—"
Before he could finish, Wei Qingge turned and fled, running out of the Liu residence.
In the secret realm, Li Qiongyu watched her squatting on the street, crying heartbrokenly, and narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of mockery flashing within them.
The air around them was frigid.
Wei Qingge didn't know how long she had been crying, but she felt as though she had vented all the emotions in her heart. She stood up, wiped her tears, and kicked a nearby tree fiercely, venting her frustration.
Her obsession had to be let go.
"Miss Wei, what a coincidence."
Suddenly, a stranger's voice came from behind her.
Wei Qingge quickly turned around, only to see a group of assassins suddenly emerge from all sides, surrounding her.
"Who are you?"
The man sneered, "Our master wishes to meet Miss Wei. You'll have to come with us."
Wei Qingge was rough in nature, but she wasn't stupid.
Seeing that these people had no good intentions, she immediately pulled out her knife and watched them vigilantly.
"Go, take her down."
Wei Qingge was furious and quickly swung her saber.
"Are you crazy? Why are you grabbing me?"
"Li Qiongyu killed our Crown Prince, so he must pay with his life."
What?!
Wei Qingge couldn't react for a moment, only managing to curse, "Go find Li Qiongyu, why are you catching me?"
"Miss Wei is his beloved. Capturing you will make things much easier."
Wei Qingge let out a laugh of anger and her attacks became more rapid.
"He'd prefer a pig to me. You've caught the wrong person."
That damn peacock, he'd brought so many enemies upon her.
"The Marquis himself said it. Li Qiongyu, that unfilial son, hasn't married at his age because of you. How could we have the wrong person?"
As he spoke, Wei Qingge froze, and the assassins found an opening, apprehending her directly.
She came to her senses, gritting her teeth in anger.
"Let me go."
The leading man walked over and smiled, "My apologies."
"As long as the Young Marquis comes to rescue Miss Wei himself, we will naturally release you."
Saying this, the man pressed her acupoint, and in the moment she lost consciousness, she only heard one phrase.
"Take her away!"
When Wei Qingge woke up, she found herself imprisoned.
She was in a large, dark room with nothing on any side.
In a fit of anger, she kicked the wall and shouted several times.
"Is anyone there? Let me out!"
She had no idea what time it was, only that she was hungry, tired, and parched.
Were they insane? Kidnapping her to threaten Li Qiongyu was less effective than threatening him with his dog.
Li Qiongyu would probably be happy to scare her to death.
The more Wei Qingge thought about it, the angrier she became, and she plopped down on the floor.
Unwarranted disaster!
Damn Li Qiongyu, that damn peacock, he only knew how to bully her, and now he'd brought so many enemies to her.
Damn it all.
Would they torture her soon?
Wei Qingge shivered with fear, glancing at the torture instruments not far away, and subtly scooted back.
After a while, she was so hungry that she shouted again.
"Can you send some food and drink? I'm starving."
Perhaps it was because someone outside heard her words, but suddenly, a hidden door appeared in the left wall, and several maids filed in.
They carried exquisite plates and placed them on the table.
Seeing the table laden with delicious food, Wei Qingge couldn't help but swallow.
Just as she was about to walk over to eat, she couldn't help but feel suspicious. Had they poisoned the food?
"Please enjoy, Miss."
The hidden door closed. Wei Qingge, who had tried to slip out, nearly smashed her nose.
She rubbed her sore nose and sat down on a stool, her temper flaring.
She picked up her chopsticks and smacked her lips at the feast, hesitant to start eating.
What a shame it would be to die of poison after satisfying her hunger.
But she was truly starving, and the feast was exactly her favorite dishes. She couldn't resist.
She even suspected that these people had investigated her, knowing her tastes so clearly.
However, it was strange.
In Shangjing City, there was Southern Huai cuisine. Besides Li Qiongyu's restaurants, she hadn't seen any other establishments in Shangjing that served Southern Huai dishes.
But she loved to eat it. When she followed her father to war in that region, she fell in love with it after eating it once.
If Li Qiongyu hadn't opened this restaurant to satisfy her cravings, she would have been yearning to go to Southern Huai.
Wei Qingge sighed and rambled on, rubbing her increasingly round chin. She then recalled her days working in the restaurant.
Although it was tiring, she ate her favorite dishes every day, with pastries, tea, and snacks readily available.
It was much better than her life in the military camp.
Well, being a well-fed ghost was better than starving to death.
With that thought, Wei Qingge no longer hesitated and directly picked up a Lion's Head Meatball, devouring it with gusto.
As she ate, she recalled what those people had said earlier, frowning.
Although Li Qiongyu was from a marquis's family, he rarely returned to the residence and seldom managed official matters publicly. How could he have killed some Crown Prince?
Shangjing City had so many noble families; which Crown Prince was it?
Who had captured her?
Annoying!
As the thought crossed her mind, a loud rumbling sound suddenly echoed from above.
The hidden door opened wide, and a masked man looked down at her.
Wei Qingge was startled and quickly looked up, only to see the man squat down, his demeanor lazy and casual, a hint of a smile in his voice.
"Was the food to your liking?"
Wei Qingge immediately put her hands on her hips and stood up. "Did you send people to capture me?! You're doing this openly; what kind of man wears a mask?"
Li Qiongyu chuckled, narrowing his eyes. His bony fingers tapped the hidden door, and he gazed at her wickedly.
He also wanted her openly, but she was in love with his brother!