After being bound by the system, Bai Yueguang and I reunited

Spring night.

"Young Master, it's time for dinner." Lü Ning's voice was cautiously respectful. Ever since the Young Master and the Patriarch parted on bad terms, he hadn't been in a good mood lately.

Although it wouldn't warrant losing my temper.

But as long as you are in the courtyard, there is a cold aura surrounding you.

For the sake of his own life, Lü Ning had been extremely cautious these past few days, not daring to make the slightest mistake.

Yun Guanfu hummed in agreement, concealing all the thoughts in his eyes.

As he entered the dining hall, a slender figure stood by the table with her head bowed in the flickering candlelight. Upon seeing him enter, she immediately curtsied.

"This servant, Qinghe, greets the eldest young master."

Lü Ning explained from the side, "This is a maid specially sent by the head of the family to serve the young master."

Yun Guanfu's gaze lingered on Qinghe's lowered head for a moment.

Her hair was styled in a neat bun, and the cloud patterns embroidered on her cuffs were exactly the same as those worn by the servants of the Yun family.

But those hands were too slender, with no calluses on the fingertips, making them look like they had been playing the zither and writing calligraphy for many years.

During dinner, Qinghe served him with utmost care, her movements of adding tea and serving dishes so precise that it seemed she had already figured out his habits.

Yun Guanfu observed calmly, then suddenly asked, "How long have you been in the manor?"

Qinghe paused slightly in her teacup, then calmly replied, "Young Master, I just entered the manor today."

He glanced up slightly, and Qinghe immediately realized she had said the wrong thing, so she lowered her head even further.

"How long have you been in the manor?"

The eldest son, sitting upright at the table, put down his teacup, the porcelain making a soft sound as it met the wooden tabletop.

Qinghe's expression changed slightly, and she quickly knelt down and said, "Reporting to Young Master, this servant has been in Yun Mansion for thirteen years."

Yun Guan half-closed his eyes.

His father always valued only his abilities and the reputation of his business, and was completely indifferent to the trivial matters of daily life.

But this time, he unusually sent over a well-trained maid.

Yun Guan's long eyelashes trembled slightly.

Lu Ning stood at the door, dressed in a brown long robe, almost disappearing into the night if not looked closely.

Yun Guanfu sneered inwardly.

He understood what his father meant by this.

As the head of the Yun family, his ambition would never waver easily; the rise and fall of the family depended on this high-stakes gamble.

He knew that his carefully nurtured son was a smart man and wouldn't be foolish enough to openly defy his father, jeopardize his position as the young master, and end up like those "useless sons."

However, if they obey him and agree to cooperate with Qi Chuanwu, the Great Yue kingdom will be in grave danger, and the pampered Princess Jiaoyang will be doomed.

Therefore, after sensing Yun Guanfu's subtle, forcibly suppressed emotions, the Yun family head sent Qinghe.

To test is also to inquire.

You, the eldest son of the Yun family, which side do you choose to stand on?

-

Qinghe stood silently by the bedside curtains of the eldest son, her eyes devoid of emotion, mechanically removing her clothes one by one as if performing a task.

"Please...please...young master, have mercy on me..."

After saying this in a sweet voice, Qinghe tentatively reached her hand into the bed curtains.

It was not stopped.

A surge of joy filled her heart, and she boldly took a step forward.

"Eldest Master..."

The delicate voice abruptly stopped.

Moonlight filtered through the snow-white gauze, illuminating the empty space above the bed.

Qinghe was filled with astonishment and panic.

The person has disappeared?

At this moment, Yun Guanfu was disguised, following Qi Chuanwu like an inconspicuous shadow.

This hostage from Wei had a very active nighttime schedule.

She had barely left the attic of the favored concubine's daughter from a military family when she went to the home of the newly appointed top scholar to share her strategies for governing the country.

He stopped by the home of a frustrated scholar and delivered a passionate speech, promising the official, who came from a prominent family, great benefits.

Arriving in the slums, he purposefully helped a starving boy, then turned a corner and entered a brothel, where he chatted all night with the aloof courtesan.

At dawn, Qi Chuanwu dragged his weary body back to his cold and desolate palace.

Yun Guanfu: "..."

Qi Chuanwu's ability to develop his power in a short period of time is probably related to his efforts.

Because another young girl dressed as a palace maid sneaked in.

"Your Highness Qi!"

"Wan'er!"

The two embraced warmly. Hidden in the corner, Yun Guanfu had mixed feelings, his eyes glancing briefly at Qi Chuanwu's waist.

"Your Highness, it's only been a few days, how come you've lost so much weight?" Wan'er said, tears welling up in her eyes. "You are a noble prince! You are truly suffering now!"

A hint of gloom flashed across Qi Chuanwu's exquisite face.

He raised his head again, sighed softly, put one arm around Wan'er's shoulder, and smiled slightly.

“The current situation is only temporary,” he said with a reassuring smile. “Even though I am in a foreign country and being held hostage, meeting you, Wan’er, has turned my bitterness into sweetness.”

Sweet words.

Wan'er was so moved that she trembled slightly as she offered her red lips.

"To receive such deep affection and kindness from you is my greatest fortune!"

She gazed into her lover's captivating eyes, "Qi Lang, don't worry, I will definitely help you, at any cost!"

Qi Chuanwu smiled but said nothing, only tightening his arms around Wan'er's waist.

Wan'er is Huo Chaoyue's personal maid, so she holds a significant position.

Such a good piece should naturally be used at crucial moments.

The morning light is faint.

Yun Guanfu, no longer wanting to see Qi Chuanwu's romantic escapades, returned to his residence after searching for some clues.

He realized someone had been there in an instant.

Yun Guanfu withdrew his foot, which was about to cross the threshold, and expressionlessly took out a tinderbox.

Pity.

he thought.

There was also a set of white jade chess pieces that he had specially found, which he originally intended to give to His Highness, but now it had been soiled by an outsider.

With a sense of regret, he threw the tinderbox in without any hesitation.

Soon, the flames began to greedily devour everything.

When Lü Ning scrambled into the courtyard, he saw Qing He with large patches of skin exposed, lying disheveled and huddled at the feet of the eldest son, wrapped only in the bed curtains.

Not far away, fire engulfed the houses.

Yun Guanfu stood still, his expression calm.

It was this tranquility that made Lü Ning's legs go weak, and he collapsed to his knees.

"Put out the fire." Yun Guanfu casually uttered these two words before heading to another courtyard to wash up and change.

An hour later, Lü Ning, covered in soot and with burns on his arms and cheeks, forced Qing He to kneel outside the door.

The head of the family was not a soft-hearted person; he dared not betray him.

But is the eldest son, who fought his way out of his brothers and became famous at a young age, someone who can be easily fooled?

The pain throughout her body paled in comparison to the bitterness that surged from the depths of her heart to her mouth. Lü Ning felt like a blade of grass in a storm, completely unable to control her fate.

A moment later, Yun Guan opened the window again, his eyes still fixed on the book in his hands.

Do you hate it?

Lu Ning trembled slightly and kowtowed deeply. "Lu Ning is deeply indebted to the eldest young master for his kindness and favor. How could I dare to harbor resentment?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Guanfu chuckled softly.

"What you should hate is the fear, not the inability."

Lu Ning was in a panic, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.

He tried to explain, "Young master, it's not..."

"Go down."

The window of the Yunguan Composite Building has been opened.

Keep all the outside disturbances and faint sobs out.