Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

"What did you go out of the manor to do today?" Mu Junyan asked in a low voice.

Gu Hua's heart skipped a beat. Did they already know?

Thinking about it, that makes sense.

Her maidservants were his people, and there were also elusive guards in the shadows, so her every move was naturally under his surveillance.

She cautiously looked into his eyes; they were deep and unfathomable, and she couldn't discern his emotions.

According to her consistent understanding, hiding things from such a domineering man would be a major taboo.

Gu Hua lowered her eyes to prevent him from seeing the emotions in them, her timid tone like that of a child who had made a mistake.

"I did do something audacious. But I wasn't sure I was right, and I was afraid that if I messed things up, I would tarnish the Duke's illustrious reputation, so I didn't dare trouble the Duke..."

Look how eloquent that little mouth is!

Her chin was lifted by slightly thick fingers, and her waist was pinched hard, causing her whole body to tense up instantly.

"Watch my reply."

Gu Hua was forced to look up, her eyelashes trembling under his piercing gaze.

Terrified, he trembled and dared not speak recklessly, so he quickly confessed.

“My aunt sent a letter to the mansion, wanting to help my son-in-law make a deal on winter clothing for the army. My elder sister learned that my son-in-law needed 50,000 taels of silver, but she was unable to leave the mansion, so she asked me to ask my aunt for a solution. My aunt didn’t have any, so she took me to find… the eldest son of the Pei family. When he saw that it was my aunt who spoke up, he gave it to her.”

She dared not call him Cousin Pei, because in Mu Junyan's eyes, she was not Pei Yi's biological cousin.

The last time they met, she was "trained" that very night. She didn't dare imagine doing it again; she wondered if she would be unable to get up for three days.

Gu Hua's words were half true and half false. What she could see was true, but what she couldn't see was what she knew from her past life.

As for how they found out the son-in-law needed 50,000 taels of silver, no one would bother to investigate. Mu An liked silver, so she wouldn't take the silver notes and then return them, thus exposing her lie.

The coldness in Mu Junyan's eyes dissipated somewhat.

What they said was all true.

The hand gripping her chin loosened its pressure slightly, and his tone softened.

"And then who slapped your face?"

Gu Hua's eyes froze.

Ok?

Is your face still not healed?

Wait a minute, nothing seemed wrong when I was applying makeup.

"No... I wasn't hit."

"Dare to lie?" The man's tone suddenly turned cold.

The little girl stammered in fright, "Um... um, Princess Jiang said Donghua offended her and is going to have her beaten to death. I definitely can't let the people from the Duke's mansion get beaten to death..."

Mu Junyan sneered.

Gu Hua didn't dare to speak.

"You should have just fought back. Using your face to take the blame is too disgraceful to me."

Mu Junyan looked disgusted.

She was truly angry that she never told him when she encountered difficulties, and she never thought of relying on him.

Gu Hua: "..."

You make it sound so easy, would she dare to hit her?

She's a county magistrate.

How many lives does she have?

If someone really beats her to death on the spot, her vengeful spirit will have nowhere to rest.

Easier said than done!

The little girl's resentful face, filled with anger but unable to speak out, was just like a kitten that had done something wrong but was unwilling to admit it—it was incredibly cute.

Mu Junyan couldn't help but pull the person into his arms and hug them tightly.

A soft moan escaped her lips from his chest, her little head bumping against his hot chest, her cool, tender face brushing against his burning skin.

The two of them paused simultaneously.

It took a long time...

"Your Excellency will rest in the study tonight."

The man's low, husky voice was exactly the same as it had been before the last time.

Gu Hua sighed inwardly; what was bound to happen would happen.

"I'm not going to take a bath?"

She carried a glimmer of hope, having not yet lit the calming incense.

She was even preparing for a massage; there should still be a chance to save herself.

"Didn't you see that I've already taken a bath?"

Mu Junyan fanned himself with the unfastened hem of his shirt, revealing his strong and muscular chest and abs.

Gu Hua glanced at it quickly, her ears turned red, and she hurriedly and laboriously opened her eyes.

It's just...too tempting.

That comfortable feeling is back again!

It tempted her to wiggle her little bottom.

The next second, she was lifted up horizontally and instinctively hugged the man's neck tightly, burying her head in his chest shyly.

Her shy and bashful appearance brought the man immense pleasure.

The candle was extinguished.

In the darkness, she was gently placed on the soft couch in the inner room. Gu Hua suddenly felt that the cushion was wrong; it seemed to have become much softer.

Before they could even figure out what the cushion was about, they were enveloped by a huge figure.

Gu Hua had no choice but to dutifully loosen her clothes, revealing her crimson rouge.

The man's eyes darkened.

He then ripped the brocade pouch containing calming incense from her waist and threw it on the ground. He pulled over a thin blanket, wrapped her up, and shoved her inside like a lump of dough. He then lay down beside her.

Gu Hua, wrapped in a thin blanket like a silkworm cocoon with her face turned inward, was stunned. What position was she about to be in?

I waited nervously for the person behind me to make a move, but after a long while, there was no further action.

I couldn't help but turn my head slightly to look.

He closed his eyes and lay on his back, his firm chest rising and falling evenly, as if he were really asleep.

He... just fell asleep?

Could it be that she's even more effective than calming incense?

Gu Hua kept her body tense and dared not move, her heart filled with a turbulent mix of emotions.

No, it's unreasonable that he told her to come at this time but didn't move her.

He must be angry, and he wants her to be even more proactive in pleasing him.

After waiting for a long time, she couldn't help but stick her arm out from under the thin blanket and gently poke the man's hard arm with her finger.

A soft, hesitant voice asked cautiously, "Master, are you asleep?"

After a long while, a low, hoarse voice finally came from the pitch-black night.

"He was already asleep."

Gu Hua quickly curled her fingers back.

Oh no, I made a stupid mistake.

She woke people up from their sleep.

She quickly pulled her arms back under the thin blanket, and even tucked her head in, saying softly, "Then you can continue sleeping."

Mu Junyan was treated a little harshly by her today.

If there's something wrong, don't ask him. He's so audacious that he dares to meddle in court affairs and help the old lady with this and that. I never thought of making him a set of sleeping clothes too.

But since she was hit by Jiang Ruoxi today, she thought she would let her off the hook and see what Jiang Ruoxi's plans were, and then secretly help her out.

This can be considered as making up for the small grievance he suffered today because of being beaten up.

But the little girl just had to provoke him.

Mu Junyan slowly opened his eyes and stared at the dark tent ceiling.

Once you're awake, it's not so easy to fall back asleep.

Mu Junyan turned around, face to face, and looked at her.

"You dare disturb my sleep? You've got some nerve."

Gu Hua tucked most of her head under the thin blanket, leaving only her eyes darting around.

I was angry too.

Did she disturb his sleep?

If he wanted to sleep well, why didn't he go back to his bedroom to sleep instead of calling her to the study?

She's not benzoin, not a heater, and not a cushion...

Before the brain activity was even finished, the person was pulled into someone's arms like a pillow.

Gu Hua: "..."

That's really hard to believe.

His straight, prominent nose rubbed against her delicate little nose: "Being foolish when you should be smart, and stubborn when you shouldn't be smart."

Gu Hua was a little annoyed and said in a huff, "I'm just stupid."

She is stupid, but mainly not stupid, she is weak, okay?

If she had his power, she wouldn't be afraid of anyone; she could just pick up a knife and start hacking.

Mu Junyan pushed the blanket down and brushed his fingertips across her exposed lips.

"You dare to get angry? You're getting bolder and bolder."

Gu Hua turned her head away, avoiding his fingertips, not wanting to pay him any attention.

They always bully others.

But they look even cuter.

Mu Junyan's hardened heart softened like water. He chuckled, pulled her head out of the blanket, and leaned down to kiss her.

Gu Hua initially resisted, clenching her teeth and letting him rub her lips.

Mu Junyan noticed the girl's temper and was even happier.

He kissed her patiently and gently, and the woman beneath him began to pant softly. In her dazed state, her pearly teeth parted slightly, and he immediately began his assault...