When I stopped licking, the lady panicked.

Luo Qingxue's heart pounded in her chest like a drum, and she subconsciously softened her breathing.

A night breeze swept across the city wall, bringing a touch of coolness. A few fragrant petals brushed against Luo Qingxue's nose, tickling her, just like her current mood—itchy as well.

Luo Qingxue clenched her sleeves, her fingertips trembling slightly. She wanted to retreat, but behind her was only the cold stone of the city wall. She wanted to look up, but she met Lin Xuan's piercing eyes.

His gaze was so bright, it seemed to pierce through the unspoken stirrings in her heart.

As Lin Xuan's face drew closer, Luo Qingxue seemed to give up her last struggle, closing her eyes, standing on tiptoe, and tilting her chin up, as if waiting to welcome something.

As it turned out, the expected scenario did not occur; instead, Lin Xuan made a sarcastic remark.

"Is the Third Prince's Consort sleepy? Why did she suddenly close her eyes?" Lin Xuan asked.

Luo Qingxue opened her eyes, blushed, and immediately pushed Lin Xuan away.

She knew why she closed her eyes, and she knew what she was waiting for.

She had clearly abandoned reason and pride to compromise, but Lin Xuan just wouldn't do as she expected.

That lecherous scoundrel is really annoying!

"You scoundrel!" Luo Qingxue said irritably, but her flushed cheeks and pounding heart made it impossible for her to look Lin Xuan in the eye.

Lin Xuan smiled and said, "Now you shouldn't feel wronged, right?"

"Hmph!" Luo Qingxue wrinkled her nose at Lin Xuan, which was actually a little cute.

To be honest, at some point, Lin Xuan did have feelings for Luo Qingxue.

But he knew what was important and what was not, so he didn't go any further when he should have.

"There's something I want to ask you," Lin Xuan suddenly said seriously.

Luo Qingxue said irritably, "What good or bad thing could you possibly get out of me, you shameless scoundrel?"

"If I kill the emperor's brother-in-law, will you kill me?" Lin Xuan asked.

Luo Qingxue was taken aback, then laughed and said, "Are you kidding me?"

Lin Xuan, however, continued to look at her with a serious expression.

Seeing that Lin Xuan was serious, Luo Qingxue's smile immediately froze.

"Are you serious?" Luo Qingxue's voice began to tremble. "You wouldn't really..."

Lin Xuan suddenly covered Luo Qingxue's mouth, pulled her into his arms, and hid in the shadows.

Almost at the same moment, a carriage drove out of the palace and sped into the night.

Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes, gazing intently at the departing carriage.

Luo Qingxue's heart suddenly raced as Lin Xuan suddenly pulled her into his arms.

She tried to break free, but the masculine scent emanating from Lin Xuan made this lonely woman, who had long lived in the deep palace, feel weak in the knees and unbearably itchy.

Luo Qingxue pursed her lips, looked at Lin Xuan's profile, and thought: Actually, he's quite handsome.

"Let's go." Lin Xuan released Luo Qingxue and looked into the distance.

Luo Qingxue bit her lip lightly. Seeing that Lin Xuan wasn't looking at her, she pouted with a wronged expression and started straightening her clothes. Her eyes seemed to be filled with resentment.

"What's gone?" Luo Qingxue asked.

"A horse-drawn carriage," Lin Xuan replied.

Luo Qingxue asked, "Then what are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid of alerting them," Lin Xuan said with a meaningful smile.

……

The carriage was moving very fast, but the people inside remained as steady as mountains.

"Father," Yun Cheng bowed to Yun Zhenting, "I'm late."

Yun Zhenting sat dejectedly in a corner and said helplessly, "My son... Xiao'er... he's ruined."

"Father, I know everything. I came back this time to avenge my second brother and the Yun family."

Yun Cheng's tone was firm, his eyes cold, "That Lin Xuan will surely die..."

Before he could utter the word "doubt," the carriage suddenly braked sharply, nearly throwing Yun Cheng and Yun Zhenting out.

Having regained his balance, Yun Cheng lifted the carriage curtain and angrily shouted, "You dog of a servant, are you tired of living?!"

The driver sat motionless at the front of the rickshaw.

"I'm talking to you! Are you mute?!" Yun Cheng shouted angrily.

The driver remained seated without saying a word.

Yun Cheng frowned, sensing that something was wrong.

He gently touched the driver, and the driver's head rolled off his neck, the cut surface smooth as a mirror, reflecting a terrifyingly cold light in the moonlight.

Yun Cheng was taken aback and immediately called out the guards in the carriage. The five of them got out of the carriage together and protected it in the center.

"Who goes there? How dare you block my carriage? You're asking for trouble!" Yun Cheng roared.

With a rustling sound from the bushes, figures flashed into view.

In an instant, the surroundings were filled with people dressed in black armor.

They wore straw hats, with swords slung across their waists. One hand rested on the hilt of the sword, and they nodded slightly. Shadows covered their upper bodies, and their casual yet threatening posture sent chills down one's spine.

"Black armor?" Yun Cheng exclaimed in surprise, "The Lin family's Black Armor Army?"

A man clad in black armor, whose design was distinctly different from that of ordinary soldiers, stepped forward.

He held a horizontal sword, pointing it diagonally at the ground, the hot blood still dripping slowly from the blade.

He held the blade horizontally, raised his left arm, and slowly wiped the blood off the blade across his arm.

"Xuanming, the leader of the Lin family's Imperial Guards, greets Young Master Yun."

Yun Cheng frowned and snapped, "Since you know who I am, how dare you stop my carriage? Are you tired of living?"

Xuanming said, "We are only acting under orders to capture those who have defected. We hope that Young Master Yun will not break the law."

"As subjects of Daqing, we must be able to put righteousness above family ties when faced with matters of principle concerning the law of the nation."

Upon hearing this, Yun Cheng burst into laughter.

"Acting on orders? By whose orders? His Majesty?" Yun Cheng's eyes narrowed, and he questioned through gritted teeth.

He didn't believe the emperor had ordered them to intercept him; after all, he had been able to rescue Yun Zhenting with the emperor's tacit approval.

Although Yun Cheng had spent many years gaining experience outside the palace, his connection with the royal family was never severed.

It could even be said that even outside the Daqing Dynasty, he was still working for the royal family.

Therefore, he was essentially a dog kept by the Daqing royal family outside, and the emperor would never send anyone to stop him.

Xuanming calmly replied, "By order of the Prince of Zhenbei."

"Lin Jiangxian? Isn't he already dead?"

"The New King of Zhenbei".

"Lin Xuan? The new Prince of Zhenbei? He doesn't deserve it!"

Upon hearing this, all the black-armored soldiers drew their swords from their waists.

Xuanming said coldly, "Young Master Yun, please step aside. We only execute traitors. Unrelated persons, please leave immediately."

Yun Cheng glanced at the carriage and said angrily, "What are you? You dare to tell me to step down?"

"His Majesty hasn't even ordered our arrest, so what right do you, a mere commander of the Imperial Guards, have to arrest my father?!"

Xuanming remained indifferent and said, "Get out of the way, or I will kill you all."

Yun Cheng stared at them coldly, then suddenly realized something was wrong.

"Wait a minute, Lin Xuan asked you to wait for us here? How did he know we would pass by here?" Yun Cheng asked in surprise.

Aside from those connections within the imperial court, no one knew their route tonight, not even his sister, Yun Xiyue.

How did Lin Xuan know that?