“Are you willing?” Lu Yun held the back of her head with one hand while caressing her face with the other. Their noses touched as he asked again with deep affection, while Luo Lingyu was still in a daze.
His tone was unhurried yet carried a deadly, soul-stirring attraction from its depths.
The candlelight flickered once. Luo Lingyu’s eyelashes trembled as she lowered her gaze. In truth, she was unwilling.
Though she had rested and regained her energy, her inner thighs still ached from too much horseback riding. Combined with having to put on appearances with various people along the way and engage in schemes with Lord Fan, Luo Lingyu wasn’t in the mood to deal with a man right now. Although she knew Lu Yun’s affections weren’t easy to come by, and although she knew this represented his submission to her… Luo Lingyu was the type of young woman who cared about maintaining a perfect image in front of someone she liked, even if it was someone she loved.
Her high standards for herself were bone-deep. She absolutely didn’t want her first time to be anything less than completely captivating for Lu Yun.
Luo Lingyu didn’t dare look into Lu Yun’s eyes. Keeping her head down, she began to refuse: “I don’t… mmph.”
She had barely begun to express her meaning when Lu Yun’s brow twitched slightly and he leaned in to kiss her. It was a gentle, lingering, intoxicating kiss. Their lips and teeth intertwined as if locked in a death embrace, their breaths like feathers carried on the hot summer wind. Her heart raced wildly in her chest, blood rushing hot through her veins. She felt light-headed, her soul and body separating and rejoining repeatedly.
The young lord supported the back of Luo Lingyu’s head, his long fingers moving through her thick hair like he was playing an ancient zither – gentle and slow yet rhythmic, revealing the surging emotions in his heart. The young lady’s loosely pinned hair fell completely down after he removed her hairpin. Just like that, he had woven a great net and caught this little bird in his embrace.
Whether Lu Yun was intoxicated or not was unclear, but Luo Lingyu was kissed until her eyes grew wet and misty like lakes.
After this long, passionate kiss ended, Lu Yun’s lips parted from hers by an inch. Looking down through lowered eyelids, his dark eyes deep and profound, he asked again: “Are you willing?”
Luo Lingyu’s mind was hazy, still drunk on the lingering tenderness. His departure left her feeling lost. She didn’t quite hear what Lu Yun was saying, and he kissed her nose again, fingers massaging her hair, urging her to answer.
Luo Lingyu panted softly, her face like March peach blossoms. Her heart was sweet yet indignant:
—This man!
He was truly devious. When asking if she was willing, just as she was about to say “no,” he kissed her to let her try it first. Try it, then answer. And when this man showed his romantic, passionate side, when he tenderly held a lady’s face and kissed her, what woman could refuse?
Luo Lingyu was captivated by his deep affection. Her arms around his neck, she smiled slightly.
Her smile was sweet and pure, carrying a maiden’s shyness and destined devotion.
Lu Yun’s phoenix eyes narrowed at the sight. Seeing her softly press against him, intimately embracing his neck. Whether intentional or not, the young lady already in his arms looked up and kissed his Adam’s apple, shyly nodding: “I am willing.”
When her tongue brushed his Adam’s apple, Lu Yun’s hand in Luo Lingyu’s hair suddenly tightened. His whole body burned hot, desire blazing in his eyes.
Luo Lingyu’s eyes sparkled. Since she was willing, she put on an act of complete dependence. Whimpering as she buried herself in his embrace, ignoring the fire she had ignited in him, she closed her eyes shyly: “Brother Xuechen, I still have injuries, please be gentle, alright?”
“Brother Xuechen, they say it hurts a lot. You won’t let me hurt, will you?”
Lu Yun took a sharp breath, suddenly gripping her waist. His strength was so great it seemed he would break the young lady’s waist. Luo Lingyu had barely whimpered before his lips sealed hers. Lu Yun carried her horizontally in his arms, stumbling slightly as he rose and walked toward the bed behind the screen—
Little demon.
Like an innocent forest spirit first entering the mortal realm. Alluring and incomparably beautiful, yet coy and clingy, subtly enticing. Intentional or unintentional… it was all her.
All her!
…
The heavy snow outside showed no signs of stopping. Due to the war, this post station was desolate, currently only hosting one high official – Lu Yun. As night deepened and the snow continued to fall heavily, the minor officials worriedly closed the doors and windows, extinguished the lamps, and went upstairs to sleep. In their dreams they prayed that the flames of war would not reach here, that this post station would not be abandoned.
Within the room, the bed curtains were drawn down, lamplight casting shadows that stretched and shortened on the screen. Looking carefully, the curtains undulated like ocean waves, rising and falling. The layers of light and shadow concealed the man and woman’s thick, low sounds behind the curtains.
Lu Yun gripped Luo Lingyu’s waist.
She lay face down on the brocade quilt, her shoulder blades exquisitely beautiful. His hands traced between them, following those graceful bones downward. Sinuous and spreading like butterfly wings – with each touch she trembled, those butterfly bones seeming ready to break free from mortal flesh and take flight.
The dimples at her waist were round, like pearl-shaped indentations where they met her tailbone and buttocks. His fingertips pressed there, clear and smooth. Lu Yun’s eyes blazed intensely, as if burning everything—
Her jade-like skin was actually unblemished, without any of the unseemly marks he had imagined he might find.
She turned her face slightly and was suddenly forced to arch her neck high, accepting his intimate kiss.
This was how Lu Yun was.
Though he said he didn’t care whether she was a virgin, he didn’t want to hear her say it, but he had to see for himself. Lu Yun’s heart was jealous, angry, pained. His words comforted Luo Lingyu but the thorns in his heart couldn’t be removed – he had to know for certain. Moreover, whatever she had endured these past days must have left psychological shadows. The longer these shadows lingered, the more hidden dangers they posed.
Lu Yun’s patience was wearing thin; he increasingly didn’t want to see so many admirers surrounding her. He needed to eliminate these hidden dangers from the start.
This night had to be exceptionally good, exceptionally beautiful, exceptionally magnificent.
From now on, when she thought of men she had been intimate with, he would be the first; he could only be the first.
Lu Yun suppressed his true thoughts, caressing Luo Lingyu’s long neck as if plucking zither strings. He stoked the flames, letting them spread, inadvertently seeing her alluring, passionate peach blossom face. She bloomed like a flower, and Lu Yun’s heart emptied – he immediately kissed her without restraint.
Lu Yun’s voice was hoarse: “Whimpering… brother loves you so much, brother’s soul is almost gone…”
The fire ignited and consumed the woman beneath. Her shoulders trembled, her wet long hair caught between their lips. A flower face, willow waist. With each of his movements, she made a sound. Her cheeks and body flushed red, beads of sweat trembling, seeming both extremely difficult to endure yet also extremely restrained. In that entanglement, another casual yet undeniable emptiness and desire swept over her unprecedented and absolute, surrounding her, seducing her.
Sweat beaded on their foreheads, but not just there.
Everything happened naturally.
The affairs between men and women are generally just like this.
Drip by drip, like summer rain falling on a lotus pond. The ten-mile lotus pond’s fragrance enveloped the mortal realm, eternally pure and beautiful. The lotus leaves were emerald green, large leaves rolling with round dewdrops. The rain curtain urged them on, the dewdrops rolling, trickling bit by bit toward the edges of the lotus leaves. Such fresh, tacitly understood mortal beauty.
Suddenly the rain grew heavy, pouring down.
The dewdrops and lotus leaves were torn into the depths of the pond together, the green deepening, covering heaven and earth. Ripples spread across the lotus pond, uniquely missing that most beautiful lotus leaf and its dewdrops.
…
Knowledge of pleasure turned gentleness wild.
Her waist felt about to break, her soul knocked from her body.
Whimpering cries, unstoppable sobs, pitiful begging, constantly saying it “hurts.”
Lu Yun at first: “Brother won’t touch your legs, it won’t hurt… since you’re injured so badly, I’ll apply some medicine later.”
A while later, his voice grew hoarse: “Little sister, lift your legs, move a bit. You’ve studied dance, how can you be stiff as wood?”
Midway through, he kissed her tears, sighing and pleading: “Little sister is too good, brother gives you his life, don’t cry anymore. Don’t be so tight… good little sister, brother’s heart is breaking from your tears…”
Toward the end, he could no longer speak, only breathing heavily. The sighs from his throat were low and deep, thick and profound, eating at Luo Lingyu’s heart. He was passionate to the extreme, fierce to the extreme, his proud self-control almost lost to her. While Luo Lingyu, under his soothing, slowly began to taste a hint of pleasure.
Floating and drifting, sticky and clingy.
Just not as intoxicated as him.
She cried, hoping this affair would end soon. Her legs had hurt before, and now more than just her legs hurt. Lu Yun had initially said he would apply medicine for her, but she thought he must have completely forgotten by now. He only knew to say she was good, kiss her, massage her, yet her waist felt about to break from his kneading.
Paradise of beauties, grave of heroes – yet Lu Yun wished this night would never end. Sinking into this, he finally understood that dying beneath peonies, even as a ghost would be romantic.
…
How could the taste be so good?
So impossible to let go?
He was going mad.
…
The long night finally quieted in the late hours. Perhaps he didn’t want to stop, but the young lady truly couldn’t endure more, so he had no choice.
Overall he showed restraint – everything happened only within the bed curtains. Though the traces and scents were heavy, they hadn’t made a mess of the whole room. Lu Yun personally heated water and carried her to bathe. His hands were somewhat clumsy as he helped wipe her body, then applied medicine, carried her back to bed, dried her hair, and lay down to sleep beside her.
Luo Lingyu’s heart trembled with an unreal feeling of falling into dreams.
So this was Lu Yun’s true nature… so he could be this gentle in bed, not at all like his usual self who would show anger at the slightest provocation… And so when he was good to a woman, he was willing to serve her, condescending to take care of her. When he treated someone well, he was most endearing, inspiring endless love.
The young lady in Lu Yun’s arms had scattered thoughts, her mind completely muddled. Luo Lingyu’s eyes were red from crying. When he bent down to kiss her, her long hair spread across his arm like clouds. It also stirred his heart—
Seeing her so beautiful, so enchanting, how could Lu Yun bear to die?
Snow filled the sky – northern snow was always much heavier than southern snow. Lu Yun was born in Jianye and had never seen such heavy snow, continuing for two days, falling thick as goose feathers. Both Ruyang and Nanyang regions were caught in the chaos of war. This snow brought crisis to many, or perhaps opportunity. It was hard to say.
Lu Yun felt he had done everything he could think of.
Discovering the Northern army in Nanyang early, succeeding in the surprise attack, General Wei leading troops to battle again; coordinating with the governors and generals of Yingchuan, Ruyang and other regions to jointly destroy the enemy; maintaining constant contact with Prince Chen Liu Shu in Jianye, secretly arranging solutions to hidden dangers; hearing Lu Xian speak of his dream and verifying its truth himself; connecting with scholars at this border between two countries, questioning them about the North’s conspiracies, befriending them and winning favor with these noble scholars who wielded brushes and controlled public opinion; joining hands with his hidden love rival the Prince of Hengyang to arrange detailed plans, having the Prince of Hengyang lead troops to aid Ruyang.
All along this journey, coming and going, back and forth with much trouble.
Lu Yun was a military advisor – he should follow the army but not enter battle. Like an observer, he watched everything happen with clarity, judging the changing situation. He was patiently experimenting with something, seeking some answer… Before the grand scheme, not just others but even Lu Xian who could see the future in dreams didn’t understand what his third brother was doing.
While heavy snow covered everything at the border between North and South, Jianye remained fresh with just a light snowfall. Before people could savor it, the snow was gone, leaving them rather disappointed.
At the first morning court after the snowfall, Lu Xian attended with his fellow officials. News of the northern war had reached Jianye. Before court began, the lords discussed the war situation. War meant spending money, and eight tenths of the South’s wealth was controlled by the great families. The court pressured these families to provide silver, but the families complained bitterly, getting headaches at the mention of war and unwilling to pay.
Lu Xian listened with growing anxiety, his eyelids twitching. This scene seemed very similar to his dream? He couldn’t help but blame his third brother silently – he had told him about the dream, what exactly was Third Brother doing? Why couldn’t he see any difference between now and the dream?
They were just unwilling to fight!
In morning court, when war reports reached the throne, the Emperor seemed somewhat drowsy, nodding off several times. Recently the old Emperor had been split between still not giving up on immortality through alchemy and indulging in female companionship. The Emperor had practiced self-cultivation for many years, staying away from women, but unexpectedly when Prince Chen Liu Shu sent several beauties, it opened the old Emperor’s heart. When the Northern Princess was presented by the Northern envoys to the Emperor’s harem, the Emperor naturally accepted her.
The old Emperor used to practice alchemy to become immortal, now he urged the Daoist priests to make pills for pleasing women.
Though that Northern Princess might be affected, she was still young and beautiful, and especially since she represented the North’s goodwill, the Southern Emperor was unprecedentedly pleased. Thus when he heard about war breaking out in the North, the Emperor’s old face fell. At this time, the Northern envoys righteously stood up and angrily denounced the South for breaking their agreement – both sides were in peace talks, how could war break out in the North? That Lu Yun was truly hateful!
The Northern envoys had passed through Nanyang and seen that while General Wei was formidable in battle, the strategist behind him was Lu Yun – the one who didn’t enter battle but controlled the big picture.
After investigating the situation in Jianye, visiting various noble families and royal relatives, the Northern envoys gambled on denouncing Lu Yun in court.
Indeed, at the mention of Lu Yun, these court officials began calculating, their expressions changing and eyes darting about. The Northern envoys spoke eloquently, claiming Lu Yun had provoked the northern war, causing several scholars to frown: “What is Lu Yun doing? If he doesn’t know how to fight, he shouldn’t meddle.”
“Perhaps we should recall Lu Yun? Send someone who…” This scholar had wanted to say “who knows how to fight,” but seeing the peace-loving Northern envoys glaring at him, he coughed and changed his words, “someone with a better temperament.”
Among the princes, when several heard them discussing the war and saying Lu Yun had caused it, their expressions also grew subtle. Lu Yun naturally represented the interests of the noble families – though these scholars criticized him, they were actually speaking on his behalf. But for the princes, Lu Yun didn’t just represent the Lu family, he also had deep ties with Prince Chen.
Especially recently there were rumors that the Lu family was arranging a marriage between their second son and Princess Ningping. Princess Ningping Liu Tang was Prince Chen Liu Shu’s blood sister! Wouldn’t this marriage mean the Lu family was completely aligned with Prince Chen? If Lu Yun then manipulated the northern war and gained military merit, the Lu family’s power would increase again… The Lu family was Jianye’s most prestigious great family, and several princes who had just managed to drive away the Prince of Hengyang were completely unwilling to let Prince Chen rise at this time.
The Northern envoys had barely begun their instigation when Prince Zhao Liu Huai eagerly stood up: “Your Majesty, we must issue an order recalling Lu Yun! The North has entered winter with harsh weather, our Southern soldiers aren’t accustomed to such conditions… This battle situation isn’t good. Moreover, since Northern envoys have come, we should negotiate rather than fight.”
The Northern envoys’ hearts stirred as they looked at this Prince Zhao, finding their ally. They exchanged glances, deciding that after morning court they must visit this prince who was at odds with Lu Yun again—
Instigate conflict between them, casually disrupt the war situation, make circumstances favorable to the North! Who truly wanted peace talks with the South? The South was so wealthy, their noble families competed in luxury, no longer satisfied with gold and silver as jade and crystal became commonplace… How envious this was in Northern eyes! They wanted to gradually devour this territory.
Lu Xian stood in line with the scholars, watching his father the Left Minister and the noble lords discuss the war, debating whether to order a ceasefire or recall Lu Yun. The Lu family wasn’t so concerned about Lu Yun’s troubles – in Jianye the Lu family already had high prestige, they didn’t need their lord to risk his life on the battlefield. But when others tried to completely suppress Lu Yun, the Lu family was unhappy – what did it mean to recall their lord before he could achieve results in the North? Were they just playing games?
Lu Xian listened with growing anxiety and dizziness. This situation was increasingly matching the trajectory he saw in his dream! He truly feared that after their discussion, they would make the same decision as in the dream – recall Lu Yun, give him no troops or supplies, and when Third Brother wouldn’t obediently return, let him be dragged to death by these people’s slander… Lu Xian silently blamed his third brother again:
What exactly have you done?! Why can’t I see any of your influence at all!
In his anxiety, Lu Xian suddenly thought of Lu Yun’s good friend, Prince Chen Liu Shu. Right, these people all had their own schemes, but didn’t Prince Chen claim to be Third Brother’s good friend? In the dream, Prince Chen had also spoken up for Third Brother!
Lu Xian hurriedly tried to catch Liu Shu’s eye, hoping Liu Shu would denounce the Northern envoys and make suggestions favorable to Lu Yun.
But Liu Shu seemed not to notice his glances. This prince maintained a neutral expression, casually participating in the discussion with just a few words. He did suggest that the court shouldn’t make big moves, that generals in the field had some autonomy from orders, and that His Majesty should give the northern generals and Lu Yun maximum independence. This naturally provoked rebuttals from the Northern envoys – royal commands were supreme, how could generals in the field ignore national circumstances and the Emperor’s arrangements?
Liu Shu said very little. Lu Xian was sweating anxiously, watching this prince slowly make just two comments. And when the envoys attacked him en masse, Liu Shu fell silent.
He simply listened quietly, expressing no more opinions.
Lu Xian’s eyes were almost twitching from trying to signal, and at this sight he nearly fainted: “…”
Prince Chen’s pragmatic style, his habit of not wasting effort on verbal battles when things weren’t going his way – Lu Xian could not get used to this. Lu Xian didn’t know what Prince Chen was thinking. After court, while the Northern envoys were busy secretly meeting other princes, Lu Xian hurriedly chased after Prince Chen.
The officials left the palace.
When Lu Xian caught up to him, Liu Shu had a headache. Lu Yun’s brother was exceptionally simple-minded, and since Liu Shu himself had a stutter, he really didn’t want to waste effort talking with a simple person. The more he spoke, the faster his stuttering secret would be exposed. Prince Chen spoke directly: “Second Lord seeks me about marriage to my sister?”
Lu Xian: “…”
He said irritably: “No.”
With the elders all causing trouble, he had no mood to discuss marriage now – he just wished he could have two more dreams to help Third Brother. Unfortunately, he hadn’t had any dreams recently. In his unease, Lu Xian approached Liu Shu, wanting to discuss in detail how to help Third Brother.
But Liu Shu was truly excessive. Liu Shu shook his sleeve, saying: “Besides my sister’s marriage, we are not close – we need not discuss other matters.”
Lu Xian: …So Prince Chen was such a difficult person? This was going too far.
Lu Xian hesitated. He really didn’t want to discuss marriage at this time. But he also wanted Prince Chen’s help for his brother. Since his brother wasn’t making an effort, he had to help. Lu Xian wavered the whole way, following to Prince Chen’s mansion gate. He paced back and forth. The guard watched this Second Lord oddly, wondering if he meant to just walk outside Prince Chen’s gate or go in—
After a long while, Lu Xian finally made up his mind. Admitting defeat, he pinched his nose and said with a red face: “Tell your lord that I’ve come to discuss marriage.”
…To enter Prince Chen’s mansion and curry favor with this prince who was hardly more agreeable than the Prince of Hengyang, Lu Xian accepted this marriage.
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