The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

"What a coincidence! Our names differ by only one character. It seems we are somewhat destined to meet."

When he smiled, the corners of his eyes curved slightly, making him look even more like a sunny person.

Shen Tinghe's heart skipped a beat, and she looked away, her gaze falling on the damp mud: "Perhaps."

Song Huailing: "May I ask how you are addressed, young lady? Are you also here to participate in the sword-testing competition? I don't recall ever seeing your presence in the martial world before."

Judging from her demeanor and attire, she didn't seem like an ordinary woman from the martial arts world, but given her presence here and during this special time, he couldn't help but make this guess.

"My name is Shen Tinghe. I am not a member of the martial arts world. I am just passing through this place and was temporarily stranded here due to the rain."

Looking at this face that was almost identical to Song Huaijing's, she still couldn't tell a lie.

Moreover, Yizhou is a thousand miles away from the capital, and he might not even know the Crown Princess's given name.

Upon hearing this, Qinglan and Qingdai, who were standing behind him, exchanged anxious glances.

The Crown Princess not only talked to the strange man, but also revealed his real name.

Judging from the Crown Princess's expression, she seems to have an unusual attitude towards this person.

If His Highness were to find out... the two felt a chill run down their spines.

One can almost picture the icy chill in Xie Yanzhao's phoenix eyes when they narrow.

Song Huailing really wanted to talk to this girl a little more, but he was afraid of being too forward, so he could only desperately search for topics to talk about.

"Miss Shen, do you live in the wing room on the back mountain? It's high up and secluded there. If you don't mind, you can move to the courtyard where our Wanjian Manor is located. We have many female disciples from the manor accompanying us on this trip, so we can look after each other. You can rest assured."

Shen Tinghe gazed at him quietly.

In the dim light, this face overlapped with, and then separated from, that smiling face deep in my memory.

"No need..." Shen Tinghe refused softly.

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Song Huailing's smile suddenly freeze, his eyes sharpening like swords. He locked onto her from behind, his body instinctively adopting a defensive posture.

Shen Tinghe's heart skipped a beat, as if sensing something, and she slowly turned her head away.

Xie Yanzhao stood a few steps away under a peach tree, his dark brocade robe almost blending into the gray tree trunk behind him.

His face was expressionless, his phoenix eyes were slightly lowered, and his gaze fell on her, but his eyes were as cold as ice that would never melt.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze and sink because of his arrival, and even the water droplets left on the branches and leaves seemed to forget to fall.

Shen Tinghe had never seen him like this before.

It wasn't the usual aloof indifference, nor the occasional profound and unpredictable aura.

Rather, it was a kind of tangible, chilling coldness that exuded a dangerous aura.

A sudden panic gripped her, and instinctively, she took a half-step back.

This half-step is like a fuse that ignites a powder keg.

Xie Yanzhao's gaze instantly turned frighteningly deep, and his jawline tightened.

Shen Tinghe even clearly saw a flash of scarlet, violent light in his eyes, so fast it seemed like an illusion, yet it sent chills down her spine.

Seeing her retreat, Song Huailing assumed she was frightened by the sudden appearance of the imposing man.

Driven by a sense of chivalry, he immediately stepped forward, blocking Shen Tinghe's path diagonally in front of him, his hand already on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

"Miss Shen, do not be afraid. In broad daylight, in this sacred Buddhist sanctuary, no one can act recklessly. I, Song, am here to protect you."

"Oh."

A very soft sneer escaped from Xie Yanzhao's throat.

His lips slowly curled up, but the curve was devoid of warmth, instead revealing a cruel and almost morbid interest.

His gaze, like a poisoned arrow, passed over Song Huailing and fixed directly on Shen Tinghe's face.

Xie Yanzhao spoke, his voice not loud, even calm, yet each word fell like an ice bead.

"Yuan Yuan, come here."

Shen Tinghe was gripped by the suppressed, bloody storm that seemed about to erupt in his eyes.

The fear was real, but so was the belief in him.

She paused for only a moment before walking towards him.

"Miss Shen!"

Song Huailing panicked and reached out to stop him.

Qinglan and Qingdai stepped forward and blocked Song Huailing.

"Young master, please stop."

Shen Tinghe was halfway there when she heard the sound and turned around. She looked at Song Huailing, who had a look of surprise and worry on his face, and whispered something in a hurry.

"Go back now. It's alright, that's my husband."

Husband?!

Song Huailing was stunned, staring blankly at her. She was already married...

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Tinghe felt a tightness around her waist, and the world spun around her as Xie Yanzhao swept her up in his arms.

Beneath that familiar, cool fragrance surged an almost violent aura she had never directly experienced before.

Xie Yanzhao had already reached his limit.

He stopped looking at anyone, picked up Shen Tinghe, and turned to leave.

Song Huailing was left behind, looking completely bewildered.

The door was kicked open by Xie Yanzhao.

Before Shen Tinghe could land with a startled breath, she was slammed against the cold door by an irresistible force.

Immediately afterwards, a shadow filled with burning anger completely descended.

His chin was forcefully pinched and lifted, and Xie Yanzhao's kiss landed almost fiercely.

That wasn't a kiss; it was punishment, devouring, and a declaration.

There was no tenderness between their lips and teeth, only invasion and plunder, their saliva mingling with a faint smell of blood.

His hand gripping her neck wasn't so tight as to suffocate her, but rather, with an air of absolute control, his thumb pressed against her pulse.

"How come I didn't know... that my Yuan Yuan had an old friend named 'Song Huaijing'? Hmm?"

He whispered breathlessly between moments of intense intimacy, his breath hot and dangerous, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

Shen Tinghe was stunned by the sudden and violent attack. She tried to put her hands on his hard chest, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.

Hearing that he had been there since then, my heart sank even further.

He heard it all, he saw it all.

"Ugh...it hurts..."

She turned her head to try and avoid the suffocating kiss, tears welling up in her eyes, her voice breaking.

"pain?"

Xie Yanzhao let out a short, cold laugh and stepped back slightly.

A terrifying flame burned in his deep eyes, locking tightly onto her moist, reddened lips and her eyes, which were filled with pain.

"How can Yuan Yuan's pain compare to even a fraction of what I feel in my heart?"

The dark corners he had never shown her were now screaming wildly.

"Brother... I can explain..."

Taking advantage of his slight departure, Shen Tinghe gasped for breath, trying to seize a moment of rationality.

"explain?"

Xie Yanzhao's eyes darkened further. He gave her no more chances, picked her up horizontally, and walked a few steps to the bedside, where he placed her on the brocade quilt without any pity.

In a panic, Shen Tinghe raised her foot to block his body as he pressed down on her, but he easily grabbed her slender ankle with one hand and pulled her away.

Her struggles were futile in the face of such an overwhelming power disparity.

Through her teary eyes, she could only see his face looking down at her.

That face, usually so handsome, was now taut in every line, imbued with a kind of obsessive, almost distorted, quality that was completely unfamiliar to her.