The young lady is delicate and soft, yet she criticizes the powerful minister for bowing and scrapin

Wei Jun, who had been burning with anger, turned to meet Qi Yunli's eyes. Her clear eyes were slightly watery, with a hint of grievance and love.

Before he could react, she took the initiative to put her arm around his neck, tilted her head slightly, and pressed her soft lips against the corner of his lips.

Wei Jun mocked himself for being useless. His originally furious questioning was easily dissolved by her kiss.

That soft touch made the anger in his chest subside at an incredible speed.

He could clearly feel his body following the other person's every move.

"One kiss...is not enough..." Wei Jun said hoarsely.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he leaned down to reverse the attack, kissing her back domineeringly, his body burning hot as he enveloped her completely.

The carriage swayed gently, and the shadows of the two people were intertwined in the dim moonlight.

Wei Jun kissed her deeper and deeper, even losing control and sinking into the moment, wanting to meld her into his very bones.

He reached out and put his arm around her waist, holding her tightly in his arms.

Qi Yunli did not push him away; her cheeks were burning red, and her breath became hot.

The two of them were unknowingly immersed in the gentle moonlight.

"Ah Li, would you betray me?"

Wei Jun's gaze was deep as he looked at her slightly flushed cheeks.

Qi Yunli's dazed eyes regained some clarity as she raised her hand and gently stroked his cheek:

"No, how could I bear to hurt you?"

He pulled her close again, their heartbeats mingling. In that moment of unbearable pain, Qi Yunli felt a tingling, numbing sensation coursing through her body, like ants biting at her. She only vaguely heard one sentence:

"Ah Li, if you lie to me, I will go to hell with you."

Qi Yunli was shocked upon hearing this, closed her eyes, and couldn't breathe.

……

Qi Yunli did not follow the carriage back to the manor. She got off the carriage quite a distance away from the manor and dragged her tired legs forward step by step.

Wei Jun's words, "Let's go to hell together," kept echoing in my mind.

He did what he said he would do.

When Qi Yunli dragged her exhausted body back to her courtyard, washed up, and lay down, she secretly rejoiced that Yun Si hadn't gone to the gambling den. If she had been caught, everything would have been ruined.

She pulled the thin blanket over herself and lay down to sleep. She had a nightmare; Wei Jun stood coldly before her, repeatedly asking her:

"Ah Li, you lied to me?"

He plunged his long sword straight into her heart, and blood flowed from her chest, seeping out little by little, staining her clothes red. A suffocating pain spread through her.

Qi Yunli woke up with a start, covered in sweat.

"What's wrong?"

Wei Jun had sat down next to her without her noticing. Qi Yunli was startled, but she managed to suppress her expression and nestled into his arms.

"I just had a nightmare."

"The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is indeed a bit intimidating. Next time you encounter danger, you can just give him my name."

Wei Jun patted her back rhythmically, like comforting a frightened child.

"With you here, I won't be in danger again," she said softly.

Wei Jun felt at ease and was very comfortable being coaxed.

He naturally enjoyed being with Qi Yunli; it was very quiet, like bathing in clear water, so comfortable that it made him feel refreshed.

"Why did you go to the gambling den today?" He looked down at her.

"Yun Si was bullied at the private school, so I wanted to find that person to settle the score, but I didn't expect that place to be a gambling den."

"Who bullied Yun Si?" Wei Jun asked reproachfully. "But you can tell me about such a trivial matter. I'm very close to the teacher at the private school, so I can easily expel some unmotivated students."

"They are Wei Ding's children with other people of the same surname." Qi Yunli sighed, rubbing her face against his chest. "How could I dare to bother you with everything? You're so busy with official duties, and besides, we have no official status. You stood up for me, which allowed others to speculate freely. I'm still waiting for my cousin to formally take me as a concubine after his wedding."

"it is good."

He rested his chin on Qi Yunli's head, but then heard the person in his arms ask again:

"I see quite a few members of the Wei family in the gambling den. Will the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion be affected as a result?"

Wei Jun: "No. The title of Marquis of Dingyuan belongs to the eldest branch of the family. As for the second and third branches, and other members of the Wei family, no matter how much trouble they cause, we can simply distance ourselves from them. If they commit heinous crimes, let them commit suicide."

"Wei Ding and Wei En too?" Qi Yunli blinked innocently and asked.

In reality, he felt a bucket of cold water had been poured on his heart. In his eyes, there was no kinship or blood ties, and besides, what did she, an outsider, mean to him?

Wei Jun met her gaze and said firmly, "Ah Li, you are too kind and too soft-hearted. Some people are not strong-willed and will fall for temptation easily."

If this is not eliminated early, the corrupt officials in the bureaucracy will become blinded by greed and will not only fail to help me, but will also become a potential threat.

"I see……"

Qi Yunli understood; those people would go to the gambling den, and Wei Jun had played a part in it.

He was wary of everyone, including the Wei family.

"Just pretend you didn't see what happened today. As for Wayne, he's drunk and unconscious, and besides, he won't admit to going to the gambling den," Wei Jun said.

Qi Yunli: "I have one more question."

"Ah Li has a lot of questions today, go ahead and ask."

"If I am really captured by Lord Fu, will my cousin come to save me?" Qi Yunli stared at his expression, not missing a single detail.

Wei Jun smiled and said calmly, "Now that he recognizes you, he won't arrest you anymore."

So it turns out they didn't know how to save her.

Indeed, Wei Jun disdained to lie to her; in his world, there was no way she could escape.

Early in the morning, the street scene was filled with countless vendors and merchants discussing things among the crowd at the alley entrance.

"Have you heard? The Imperial Guards raided gambling dens a few days ago and arrested dozens of people..."

"That's not all! My cousin, who works at the yamen, said that Su Fengran, the eldest son of the Rong Prince's mansion, is actually among them!"

"The Rong Prince's Mansion... that's a fourth-rank official's residence in the Hanlin Academy! Why would someone go to such a filthy place? Wouldn't that be an insult to their official robes?"

"Officials who receive salaries from the imperial court do not set an example by rectifying public morals; instead, they privately lead the way in squandering money! What kind of behavior is this!"

As Jinxiu reported the rumors circulating outside, the old lady of the Dingyuan Marquis's mansion slowly closed her eyes and said coldly, "Go and call the second branch of the family over."

One after another, troubles have struck the second branch of the family, involving Wei Ruolan and Wei Ding. If they don't distance themselves from the situation soon, the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion will become the target of public criticism.

Wei Zhongde and his second wife, who had been confined to the courtyard for a long time, knelt before the old lady.

The old lady raised her eyes, letting the wind blow away the tears in them: "You second branch of the family, move out of the Marquis's mansion. From now on, you will have no connection with my Dingyuan Marquis's mansion whatsoever."

Wei Zhongde was stunned, as if struck by lightning. "Mother, Mother, what did you say? The gambling den incident was due to my concubine's poor discipline, it has nothing to do with me or my wife!"

"Even the Rong Prince's Mansion is now in the eye of the storm; do you want our Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion to be criticized along with it?"

The old lady was overcome with anger and felt dizzy. She regained her composure and weakly waved her hand:

"Go away. If you don't, I'll have your things thrown out."

The second branch of the family had also secretly raised some money, enough for them to live a peaceful life from now on. They only hoped that the second branch would not spend money extravagantly and would never mention the name of the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion again.

The second wife was driven away, and Wei Ding was very indignant. He went to the old lady's courtyard and knelt down to cry and complain:

"Grandmother, Grandmother, Wei En was clearly inside, in the gambling den, so why wasn't he punished? Why is it our second branch that's being punished! Wei En is the one who started this! He wasn't arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard; he was the one who reported them!"