Mu Yanming walked into the room. Mo Qinghuan was leaning against the desk, flipping through a book in her hand. Frowning tightly, she seemed to be absorbed in what she was reading.
Hearing Mu Yanming enter, she put down the book, got up, walked to the table and sat down. She poured two cups of tea and pushed one towards Mu Yanming.
"Do you still remember that young couple we saw in the market during the day? I went to find the old woman on purpose. Guess what?" She looked at Mu Yanming, waiting for his answer.
Unexpectedly, after Mu Yanming picked up the teacup and took a sip, he suddenly laughed. The smile reached Mo Qinghuan's eyes, but it also made her feel quite puzzled.
"They're not the old woman's children at all." Mu Yanming said slowly, looking at Mo Qinghuan in a definite tone.
Feeling as if she had been tricked, Mo Qinghuan picked up the teacup and drank the tea in one gulp. Then she slammed the cup on the table and got up, walking towards the bed.
Mu Yanming stood up and followed her. His eyes were fixed on what she was doing. Just as she was about to untie her belt, she felt a shadow approaching from behind. She stopped and suddenly turned around, seeing Mu Yanming standing just one step away from her.
An unhappy look immediately appeared on her face. "What are you doing?"
Mu Yanming gave her a meaningful smile, walked over and reached out to untie her belt. Mo Qinghuan was startled and quickly grabbed his hand. "Hey, it's just for show. You don't have to do this..." Her words were interrupted by Mu Yanming's kiss.
She really wanted to bite him. But then Mu Yanming suddenly moved his lips from hers to her ear. She felt a ticklish sensation and almost went limp. Mu Yanming put his hand on her waist and pulled her into his arms. "Don't move. There's someone outside."
Mo Qinghuan looked at his closed eyes and his focused expression. Suddenly, the scene of him kissing Gu Qinglan flashed through her mind. Like a conditioned reflex, she pushed him away.
Mu Yanming looked at her. "What's wrong with you?"
"Don't touch me with the lips that have touched other women!" She turned around, grabbed a pillow and rushed out.
She looked around at the rooftops and the walls but didn't see anyone.
Then she went to the side room next door, where Dan'er and Shuang'er were resting.
Mu Yanming was a bit confused about what had happened. He sat on the edge of the bed and tugged impatiently at his collar.
Mo Qinghuan knocked on Dan'er's door. When Dan'er opened it, she was startled. "Miss, what's going on..."
"I'm going to sleep here tonight." Just as Dan'er was about to find an excuse to refuse, Mu Yanming's voice came. "No way!"
He walked straight over, picked Mo Qinghuan up on his shoulder and walked back.
Mo Qinghuan still held the pillow in her hand and kept hitting Mu Yanming. After Mu Yanming stepped into the room with one foot, he kicked the door shut with the other.
He walked to the bed and gently laid Mo Qinghuan on it. Then he tidied his clothes. "You're really thin. You need to eat more."
After saying this, he started to undress himself.
Mo Qinghuan gritted her teeth tightly. She didn't know what Mu Yanming was up to, but she knew that if Mu Yanming didn't want her to go out, she couldn't. And if Mu Yanming tried to act like a brute, she wouldn't let him succeed.
So she kicked off her shoes and got into the inner blanket without undressing.
Mu Yanming looked at her back, a faint smile on his lips. He shook his head helplessly.
Of course, he had lied to Mo Qinghuan about there being someone outside. But the words she said made him a bit confused.
What did she mean by not letting his lips that had touched other women touch her? Did she misunderstand something?
Or had someone come to her and said something nonsense?
He took off his outer robe, leaving only his inner garment. After lying in bed, he propped his head up with one hand and turned to look at Mo Qinghuan, whose breathing had become even and steady.
He whispered, "I've never touched any woman except you."
Mo Qinghuan's breathing remained steady. It seemed that she was already asleep. He waved his hand gently and the lamp in the room went out.
Then he closed his eyes too.
...
At midnight, a black - clothed man leaped over the east wall of the Regent's Mansion.
Then he disappeared into the night.
"My lord." The black - clothed man bowed respectfully to the man sitting with his back to him.
There was only one lamp lit in the room, and the light was so dim that it was almost impossible to see anything.
"How's the matter going? I've given you enough time, haven't I?"
The black - clothed man lowered his head slightly, still keeping his bowing gesture.
"My lord, you know this matter can't be rushed. I'm here today just to tell you that... she has found the eldest prince."
The man behind the chair snorted. "So what if she's found him? Anyway, they won't be able to trace it back to me."
The black - clothed man lowered his head slightly, a sneering smile on his lips. "Yes, my lord is right. I've taken care of all those who carried out the mission that night. They have no way to investigate."
Only then did the man behind the chair turn around. "Good. Well done. You've lived up to my trust. But these days are a critical period. Don't come to the mansion for the next month, so as not to be discovered by others."
The black - clothed man nodded, straightened up and walked out. Before leaving, he glanced at the figure outside the window.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, turned back and winked at the man. The man received his signal, nodded and turned his back.
The black - clothed man, following the order, quietly dropped an extremely thin silver needle from his fingertips and flicked it with his hand. The silver needle shot through the window paper. They heard a muffled groan outside, and then the shadow fled in a hurry.
"Go and kill him." The man beside the chair gently placed his hand on the chair back and commanded in a low voice.
But the black - clothed man stood still and didn't chase. "The dart is poisoned. Once he's poisoned by me, he won't live for a few days. But my lord, don't you want to find out who this traitor is, daring to eavesdrop outside your study?"
The man squinted at the black - clothed man and walked out of the study.
The black - clothed man walked up to him. "I'll take my leave, my lord."
After saying that, he walked to the wall behind the study, leaped lightly and landed in the alley.
The man walked in the direction where the shadow had fled. At the second corner, he saw a fallen woman.
He walked over, turned the woman over, and when he saw her face, his hand trembled involuntarily.
"Lan'er, you silly girl." He helped his daughter up, carried her back to the room. Just then, Gu Qing walked over.
Prime Minister Gu looked solemn. "Go and tell him to come and deliver the antidote tomorrow night."
Gu Qing nodded, tightened his grip on the sword in his hand and walked out.
Just as he was about to reach the door, Prime Minister Gu called him back. "Be careful. Don't expose his identity."
Gu Qing glanced at Gu Qinglan lying on the bed, nodded and left.