Her mind was in a daze, and she did not resist. Her entire body felt drained of strength, her limbs so weak they felt like they didn't belong to her. She was pressed tightly against him.
He kissed her fiercely, pinning her in his arms. His slender fingers threaded through her hair, moving downwards, caressing the skin of her nape.
Her back instantly erupted in goosebumps.
Their warm breaths mingled, invading her ears.
Liu Rongruo lowered his eyelids to look at her.
Her radiant, sparkling eyes were slightly wide, the corners upturned with a flush, a captivating allure mixed with a touch of innocent purity.
Perhaps she didn't realize how alluring she looked, as she stared directly at him.
His breath hitched abruptly, and he lowered his head to kiss her again.
Truly, a captivating beauty.
Chi You came back to her senses, feeling as though she couldn't catch her breath. She reached out to push him away.
But his grip was incredibly strong, his body taut and firm. She couldn't budge him at all.
She was entirely trapped in his embrace, being kissed.
After an unknown period, the sky outside gradually darkened. The cawing of ravens from the branches drifted in through the door.
Faint shadows illuminated the two figures by the desk.
Suddenly, with a crisp snap, the woman's figure leaped out of his embrace.
"What are you doing?"
Chi You clutched her lips in shock, furiously wiping them.
The moment she woke up, she had been kissed by this brute. What was that idiot thinking, letting herself get kissed by him?
The events of the day flashed into her mind, her head about to explode. She lowered her gaze and saw that her neck, shoulders, and chest were covered in a dense pattern of hickeys. Her open collar revealed skin that was bruised beyond recognition.
A murderous glint flashed in her eyes, her fists clenching in anger.
This shameless brute, who had been with so many women, dared to defile her?!
Liu Rongruo lowered his eyes, prodding his aching cheek with his tongue. A chilling coldness flickered in his clear eyes.
He cast a cold glance at her. Although his expression didn't change, he exuded a chilling aura of killing intent.
Chi You's heart leaped. She tightened her robes and retreated a few steps.
She said coldly, "Prime Minister, surely you haven't forgotten the grievances between us. Since you know there's something wrong with my body, please don't take advantage of my weakened state."
"You came to me yourself."
His voice was cold and indifferent.
Chi You gritted her teeth in anger. Did that idiot know this brute's true nature? He was just playing around. What was she thinking?
Liu Rongruo gently wiped the corner of his mouth, looking at the blood on his fingertip, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
Chi You noticed the change in his expression and quickly tried to leave.
The next moment, a cold, pale hand suddenly seized her neck. She cried out in pain and was directly thrown to the ground.
Chi You instantly found it difficult to breathe. Veins bulged on her face, her features contorting.
He crouched down slightly, tightening his grip on her neck. The pain almost suffocated her.
She opened her eyes and met his clear, indifferent gaze.
It was so calm it frightened her.
He remained silent, simply watching her struggle on the brink of death, toying with her like prey, unhurriedly.
The pain made her gradually feel faint and heavy.
In the moment before she lost consciousness from lack of air, scenes of her homeland, Nanjiang, being annihilated flashed through her mind. She reached out to grab his robe.
She couldn't die.
She hadn't taken revenge yet. She couldn't die, absolutely couldn't die.
She struggled and burrowed into his embrace. Her disheveled clothes unfurled like flowers on either side, her soft body pressed tightly against him.
Liu Rongruo watched her movements, slightly loosening his grip. His expression was inscrutable.
The pressure on her neck eased, and his tightly clasped hand dropped.
Chi You could breathe again. She gasped desperately, her coughs ragged and heart-wrenching. She hugged his back, easing the pain in her neck.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together.
A chilling murderous intent suddenly came from the back of her neck.
Liu Rongruo's eyes darkened. He quickly turned and grabbed her hand with immense force, dislocating her arm instantly.
"Ah—"
Chi You cried out in pain, her body thrown aside and landing with a thud.
Liu Rongruo looked at the hairpin in her hand and raised an eyebrow slightly. He reached out, pinching her jaw, and said calmly, "You want to kill me."
Chi You was covered in injuries, blood bursting forth. Her face was pale with pain.
The force with which he held her jaw seemed as though he would dislocate her bones.
She struggled weakly, her voice hoarse and torn.
"I was just pinning my hair up with a hairpin. Why is the Prime Minister making such a fuss?"
Liu Rongruo smiled. "Oh."
He released her, patted his robes, and slowly stood up.
Chi You let out a sigh of relief. As she supported her arm and tried to get up, a gnawing pain surged through her abdomen.
The Blood-Eating Silkworm.
It was back.
She quickly grabbed the hem of Liu Rongruo's robe, looked up at him, and said, "I have been behaving myself and staying in Da Liang. Can you give me the antidote for the Blood-Eating Silkworm?"
He lowered his gaze to her, remaining silent.
Chi You wanted to plead with him further, but the pain began to surge violently into her chest. She cried out in agony, writhing on the ground.
The dragon's breath incense burning in the hall emitted wafts of fragrance.
Liu Rongruo slowly walked to the tea table and sat down, beginning to prepare tea.
A gentle breeze from outside gradually blew in. In the entire hall, only her piercing screams could be heard.
Bai Ze walked in with his eyes lowered, not daring to glance at the person on the ground. He respectfully approached the tea table and spoke.
"Prime Minister, we have found out."
Liu Rongruo was brewing tea, holding a tea whisk, swirling it around in the bowl.
"Speak."
"Grand Commandant Qin and Minister Ye."
Minister Ye?!
Liu Rongruo's expression remained unchanged. "Does the Prince know?"
"He should know, but the Prince said nothing."
"Beauty leads to the downfall of a nation," Liu Rongruo chuckled lightly. "Then there's no need to interfere. Send someone to give them a reminder, so they don't end up losing their heads and begging the Princess Consort."
"Yes."
Bai Ze respectfully withdrew.
After finishing the tea, Liu Rongruo glanced at the person who had fainted, then got up and walked to her side, kicking her.
"Get up."
Chi You had already fainted from the pain, a sheen of sweat on her forehead.
He stared down at her for a moment, then bent down, scooped her up, and walked towards the bathing pool behind them.
Cold water spread around, the entire body feeling as though it had entered an ice mountain.
Chi You shivered from the cold, waking up instantly.
Her eyes met his cold, indifferent face.
She started in surprise and tried to pull back, only to find herself soaking in the hot spring with him.
The water was like snow from an ice mountain, chilling her so much her teeth chattered.
Chi You's face was already pale from pain and devoid of color. Being immersed in this pool was simply agony.
She gritted her teeth and forcefully pushed her arm back into its socket.
With a crack, she hissed in pain.
Liu Rongruo was soaking opposite her, watching her movements, and curled his lips into a smile.
Chi You ignored him, utterly exhausted. She propped herself up, trying to climb out.
But the next second, a wine cup was flicked towards her head.
She fell back into the pool.
Chi You was so furious she was about to lose her mind. She suppressed her anger with great effort and turned to look at him with a smile.
"Prime Minister, aren't you cold?"
This person was crazy. The water in this pool was colder than well water; it was freezing!
Liu Rongruo narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled faintly, "Not cold."
"----"