The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

As he spoke, his fingers gently traced Yang Rong's cheek, bringing a tingling sensation.

Yang Rong trembled at the sudden intimacy. She twisted her body again, trying to break free from Xiao Jinyan's grasp, still refusing to let it go: "I won't call you that. Go call me that yourself if you want."

After saying that, she playfully winked at Xiao Jinyan.

Seeing this, a cunning glint flashed in Xiao Jinyan's eyes. He suddenly reached out his hands and began to gently tickle Yang Rong's waist.

"Shout or not? Shout or not?"

Yang Rong burst into laughter, her silvery laughter echoing throughout the room, filled with boundless joy and sweetness.

She laughed as she dodged Xiao Jinyan's attacks, pleading repeatedly, "I'll call... I'll call, I'll call, okay..."

Hearing Yang Rong's compromise, Xiao Jinyan finally stopped what he was doing.

Yang Rong was still panting, with a few glistening tears on her cheeks—tears of laughter that made her even more charming.

She gazed at Xiao Jinyan with deep affection, her bright eyes filled with love and dependence. After a long while, she whispered, "But... I can't bring myself to call you that. That name is too formal. I still prefer to call you 'You naughty devil,' because only then can I feel how special you are to me..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He held Yang Rong's hand tightly, gently embraced her, and whispered in her ear, "Alright, then do as you please. But you must know that no matter what you call me, you are the love of my life, my darling, my wife."

Yang Rong leaned gently against Xiao Jinyan's strong shoulder, murmuring, "You naughty boy, I have given you my virginity without reservation. From now on, you must not betray my deep affection."

Xiao Jinyan held Yang Rong's delicate and smooth hand tightly, his gaze firm yet tender: "My lady, I, Xiao Jinyan, hereby swear that I will hold your hand and grow old with you. No matter how the winds and rains change, no matter how the years pass, I will never fail you in this life."

Yang Rong turned her head, her affectionate eyes gazing deeply at Xiao Jinyan. She slowly closed her eyes, a shy yet longing smile curving her lips. Her expression was filled with endless tenderness and anticipation, and even her breathing became soft and rapid, each breath seemingly expressing the deep stirrings of her heart.

Xiao Jinyan understood immediately, a burning light flashing in his eyes. He slowly approached until their noses lightly touched. Without hesitation, he kissed Yang Rong's luscious lips, tenderly and affectionately.

Yang Rong instinctively wrapped her arms around Xiao Jinyan's neck, responding passionately and sincerely. As the kiss deepened, their emotions surged once more like a tidal wave, becoming uncontrollable.

Feeling Yang Rong's passionate response, Xiao Jinyan's love for her intensified. He pulled her tightly into his arms, leaned down, and pressed his body against hers. Their hearts pounded together...

---------

The next day, at the Duke of Qin's residence.

The sky was obscured by thick, leaden clouds, not a single ray of light could be seen, and muffled thunder rumbled faintly in the distance, foreshadowing an impending storm.

Inside the mansion, in a quiet and solemn room, the atmosphere was even more oppressive and suffocating. Wei Kui lay helplessly on the bed, his face as pale as paper, his eyes rolled back, leaving only a glimpse of terrified whites, white foam at the corners of his mouth, his body trembling uncontrollably, and the "Aba, Aba" sounds emanating from his mouth sounded particularly jarring in the silent room.

Several maids surrounded the bed, each busy but orderly with their own tasks. A petite maid used all her strength to hold down Wei Kui's struggling hands to prevent him from hurting himself; another held a soft silk handkerchief and carefully wiped away the sweat that kept seeping from his forehead and neck; a third maid carried a bowl of dark medicine and tried to feed it into Wei Kui's clenched teeth, but most of the medicine slid down the corners of his mouth and soaked the pillow.

Amidst the chaos, an elderly doctor solemnly took Wei Kui's pulse, his fingers lightly twitching across Wei Kui's wrist.

Wei Wuji, standing to the side, could not hide the anxiety and unease on his face. He paced back and forth, his hands clenched into fists, and he would occasionally look up at the doctor, his eyes flashing with a mixture of expectation and fear.

Finally, the doctor slowly withdrew his hand, his brows furrowed and fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. He took a deep breath, seemingly to gather his thoughts, or perhaps because he found it difficult to speak.

Upon seeing this, Wei Wuji's heart tightened, and he hurriedly stepped forward, asking anxiously, "How is the young master?"

The physician bowed his head, his voice filled with endless apology: "Duke of Qin, please forgive my incompetence, but I fear the Crown Prince's future..."

He paused deliberately at this point, as if each word weighed a ton.

Wei Wuji's heart leaped into his throat. He grabbed the doctor's shoulders and shook him violently, his eyes filled with pleading and despair: "What could it be? Tell me quickly!"

The doctor swallowed hard, finally uttering the heartbreaking news: "He's probably become an idiot..."

These words struck like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering the last line of defense in Wei Wuji's heart. He staggered back a few steps, his face pale, his eyes filled with grief and anger, and roared at the sky, "Xiao Jinyan, I'll fuck your mother!"

--------

The following day, at Qianyang Palace.

After the rain, the morning light broke through the clouds, and golden sunlight dappled the glazed tiles of the main hall, making them gleam.

Civil and military officials, dressed in their finest attire, hurried along, carrying the weariness of a sleepless night and the weight of court affairs, gathering in the Qianyang Hall to prepare for the new day. Inside the hall, the fragrance of ambergris rose gently, mingling with the morning coolness to create an atmosphere of inexplicable solemnity and reverence.

Liu Kun looked unusually haggard today. He was dressed in an elaborate and exquisite dragon robe, slumped on the dragon throne that symbolized supreme power. His face was dejected, his eyes were sunken, and his dark circles were as dark as ink. He looked as if he had aged ten years overnight.

Recently, Liu Kun has been taking pills that Yan Daoxiu concocted for him whenever he has a spare moment. After taking the pills, he would freely seek out women in the harem, basically having sex with dozens of women every day. As a result, under the influence of the pills and Liu Kun's unrestrained indulgence, his health has deteriorated rapidly, almost to the point of being completely drained.

"My esteemed ministers, if you have something to report, please do so; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

Liu Kun's voice carried a hint of impatience and weariness, as if even speaking was a difficult task.

After a moment of silence in the hall, Wei Wuji stepped forward from the crowd, his steps steady, his eyes flashing with determination.

"Your Majesty, I do have an important matter to report."

Liu Kun rubbed his temples helplessly, forcing himself to cheer up, and asked, "Duke of Qin, what is it that you wish to report?"

Wei Wuji took a deep breath, his tone serious and unquestionable: "Your Majesty, I must impeach General Xiao Jinyan and Princess Heyang. The two of them spent the whole night drinking and talking nonsense in their residence, their words were absurd and unrestrained, and even worse, they plotted something sinister, as if they had the intention to rebel. This matter concerns the safety of the nation, and Your Majesty dares not fail to report it."