The two returned to the capital, and Tantai Ye rode directly with her towards the General's Manor.
Lan Murou did not want to go and preferred to stay at an inn.
"Don't move. I'm not taking you to the manor."
"Then where are we going?"
Tantai Ye said, "I know you don't want to go to the manor, so I'm taking you to Muyan's place."
Upon hearing this, Lan Murou's heart warmed slightly. He had truly changed; he wasn't as forceful as before and considered her feelings.
She had genuinely feared he would insist on taking her back to the manor. Their current relationship was strained, and the thought of being kept in the manor by him again made her truly uncomfortable.
Now, not having to go to the General's Manor meant she was still free.
Seeing the evident joy in her eyes, Tantai Ye let out a displeased hum and quietly leaned in to bite her ear.
"When we officially remarry, I will welcome you into my manor with an eight-bearer sedan chair."
Lan Murou listened to his voice by her ear, her hand stroking the horse's mane trembling slightly. She retorted softly,
"Who wants to marry you?"
He kissed her long hair, "Then when you're willing, we'll do it again."
"---"
Lan Murou couldn't help but think of the people in the Tantai clan, taking a deep breath.
She didn't want to dwell on it. Looking at the familiar surroundings, various complex emotions surged within her.
However, on second thought, she was happy to be able to see A Yan, and also A Luan and Qingge.
He rode his horse with her towards the imperial city.
Lan Murou frowned slightly as she looked at the increasingly familiar scenery.
"Isn't this the road to the General's Manor?"
He remained silent, quickening his pace towards the inner city.
"Jie--Jie---"
From afar, she heard A Yan's voice.
Lan Murou quickly looked ahead and saw Lan Muyan standing by the house next to the General's Manor, waving excitedly at her.
Her expression instantly turned numb, and she was speechless.
Tantai Ye embraced her waist, helped her dismount, and explained, "Censor Fang has retired and returned to his hometown. Muyan bought this house."
"Yes, Sister, I bought it."
Lan Muyan ran towards them.
Lan Murou, being perceptive, glanced at Tantai Ye, who avoided her gaze, and remained silent.
Censor Fang was not yet of the age of retirement. How could he have retired so early?
Muyan had only been assigned to the capital for a short time. Where did he get the money to buy a house within the imperial city?
Moreover, even with money, houses in the imperial city were impossible to acquire without connections, clearly indicating he had privately arranged it.
"Sister, I'm usually at the Left Army Camp and don't live here. You're close to the General's Manor, so someone can look after you," Lan Muyan whispered quietly in her ear.
"I'm all grown up, I don't need looking after."
"That's not certain. Aren't you scared living alone----"
The two were too close. Tantai Ye's heart flared with anger, and he pulled Lan Muyan away.
"Why are you standing so close?"
Lan Murou: "----"
Lan Muyan quickly regained his footing, looking at Tantai Ye in surprise.
"----"
"Fine, fine, fine. I can't even be close to my own sister. You take her to see it then. I have to go back to the military camp."
With that, Lan Muyan rolled his eyes in his heart and slipped away.
Tantai Ye grabbed her hand, lowered his head, and bit her lip.
"You're not allowed to be that close to other men."
Lan Murou was speechless. She quickly pushed him away and walked into the courtyard.
Tantai Ye had already made arrangements for everything before she returned to the capital. The servants were all born into service.
He had also ordered people to connect the two manors, and the surrounding design was modeled after the residences in Gusu. He even specifically created a study, collecting famous books from all over the world.
Lan Murou looked at the house just one wall away from the General's Manor and was utterly speechless.
What was the difference between this and returning to the General's Manor?
There was truly no difference, as that scoundrel Tantai Ye almost always climbed over the wall every night.
At night, not long after she had fallen asleep, she heard someone arrive again.
She pulled the quilt higher to cover herself, too lazy to pay attention.
She was truly helpless against him. He couldn't be driven away. If she showed impatience, he would sit on the bed with a gloomy expression and refuse to speak. Wherever she went, he followed.
"Rou'er."
Tantai Ye, familiar with the layout, got onto the bed and held her in his arms.
"I know you're not asleep. Don't ignore me."
Lan Murou opened her eyes, her moist gaze in the dim tent captivating.
Tantai Ye's breathing deepened. He quickly suppressed the desires in his heart and spoke.
"Tomorrow I'll take you to Yunmeng Marsh. Everyone will be there."
Lan Murou thought of A Luan and Qingge, her heart stirring slightly. She had thought they would never meet again, but heaven had shown mercy, and she had the chance to see them again.
Tantai Ye looked at her joyous eyes and couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
"You get happy just hearing about seeing Ye Luan and the others, but you're always impatient when you see me."
Lan Murou's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her gaze, avoiding his eyes.
Tantai Ye snorted and took off the white silk sash.
"How much longer do I have to wear this useless thing?"
She ignored him.
Tantai Ye unhappily embraced her waist and lowered his head to kiss her.
Lan Murou, worn down by his persistence, asked softly, "What's the name of the woman by Minister Liu's side? I don't want to make a mistake and lose etiquette."
"Chi You."
After saying this, he held her and kissed her, his voice hoarse and deep.
"Rou'er, how much longer do I have to endure?"
Lan Murou didn't want to listen to his nonsense. She moved further inside, trying to evade him.
Tantai Ye followed her movement.
They were almost pressed against the wall. She sighed inwardly, turned back, and placed her hand on his chest to create a barrier.
"Behave yourself, or I'll send you back to your manor."
Tantai Ye looked at her deliberately cold little face and couldn't help but chuckle.
In the dim tent, his laughter was particularly seductive.
Lan Murou's back trembled uncontrollably. She bit her lip and lowered her head.
Tantai Ye hugged her and lay down, stroking her long, black, lustrous hair.
The air became still.
Suddenly, he whispered in her ear, "When will you take the initiative to kiss me?"
The candlelight in the room flickered, casting shadows of their embracing figures.
Lan Murou's heart instantly went numb. She nestled in his embrace, remaining silent.
Tantai Ye wouldn't allow her to be a鸵鸟 (ostrich); he lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.
"You don't reject my closeness, but you haven't kissed me again."
She didn't speak, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.
"If I weren't so persistent, you probably would have stayed in Gusu and never wanted to see me again, right?"
Though his tone was calm, if one listened carefully, there was a hint of gnashing-tooth resentment.
Lan Murou retreated slightly, her eyelids lowered, lost in thought.
Tantai Ye immediately clasped her waist, pulling her into his embrace, pressing down on her, skin against skin.
She felt uncomfortable being pressed by him and couldn't help but twist her waist.
He held her even tighter, burying his head in her neck.
"Rou'er, I love you to the bone. I will never let go, never in this lifetime. I will wait for you to let go of everything in the past, and then we will start anew. I will give you a grand wedding and openly welcome you into my manor."