So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

Ning Yu's face turned as white as a sheet in an instant. What did he mean? Was he deliberately humiliating her in front of Xie Yun?

Should she be forced to kiss him in front of others, to tell Xie Yun that she was the one who was clinging to him, and to announce their illicit relationship to the world?

Would he let Xie Yun leave the temple alive?

"Aren't you coming over here? Do you want to see how I'm going to kill him?"

How could a prince who was not favored by the emperor have the power to fight against the elders? Ning Yu looked at his arrogant and indifferent eyes and was so angry that her body was trembling.

Xie Xun, however, had no interest in wasting time with her, and his gaze became even colder.

The air she was breathing felt suffocating. Ning Yu finally stiffened and moved toward him.

Seeing her give in and compromise, his expression softened. He leaned back lazily in his chair, waiting for her to sit down and kiss him.

Ning Yu sat on his lap with her back to the window, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"What, are you waiting for me to make the first move?"

She felt resentful, her eyes misted over, and she raised her lips tremblingly to kiss him.

Xie Yun, who was outside the waterside pavilion, had just walked around the plank road when he was caught off guard by this scene. Although the woman had her back to him, he could not possibly mistake her familiar figure when he got close.

Her eyes instinctively glanced at the man holding her. It was Xie Xun, just as she expected.

His hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched tightly. What was going on? Had Xie Xun secretly manipulated things so that the Xie family thought she was dead, and he himself had hidden her away?!

That bastard! How could he be so despicable? He's ruined her perfectly good life.

Everyone in the court and the public knows that Xie Xun is going to marry Princess Huayang. What can that stupid girl Ning Yu do for him? A concubine? Or a mistress kept outside?! How can she compare to his Crown Prince's consort?

He understood Xie Yan; only a man like Xie Yan could give her a good life. Xie Xun, that treacherous and cunning scoundrel, was not a good match at all.

In a moment of impulsiveness, disregarding his already poor health, he strode into the corridor.

Ning Yu, who was inside the room, naturally heard the commotion outside. Her body, which had been slightly stiff, paused, and she wanted to look outside.

But the man in front of her held her tightly, his long fingers digging into her hair, pressing her down and kissing her fiercely.

Before long, the noise stopped, and she heard the sounds of swords clashing. Her anxiety grew, and she reached out to push him away, letting out a sobbing cry.

Xie Xun released her with displeasure, loosening his grip on the back of her neck and creating some distance between them.

"Let me go out and explain things to him."

I've never seen her so anxious about anyone, especially that sickly guy. It's all for that sickly guy.

Xie Xun was unhappy, and others were even less so. "Who is he to you? Why are you so anxious about him?"

"We've met a few times." Her eyes were misty. "I met him in Fuzhou. I saved his life, and that's why he helped me."

"Help you?!" He touched her face. "You admit it?"

Ning Yu felt a chill run down her spine. She moved her lips with difficulty, and a barely perceptible pain flashed across her pale face.

Seeing that she didn't speak, he continued, "I've never been so impulsive for a woman before. It seems that King Zhao treats you differently."

"We're really not that close, and I don't like him. My heart is only for the Governor."

These words seemed to please him. Xie Xun paused in stroking her face, looked at her for a while, and said with satisfaction, "Then go and explain it to him."

A light mist rose from the lake. Frostblade's martial arts skills were extremely high. With a flick of his wrist, he barely managed to withstand the attacks of the guards. Xie Yun seemed to be furious and was coughing violently while clutching his chest.

Ning Yu hurriedly came out of the house and shouted, "Stop!"

The guards received the signal and quickly stopped. Frostblade, who was surrounded, slid down against a log pillar, took a few heavy breaths, glanced at his master, sheathed his sword, and went to stand guard at a distance.

The wind on the lake rustled through the crisp sound of bells. Xie Yun saw her approaching, then glanced at the man sitting by the window before putting away the blood-stained handkerchief.

"You really didn't die."

Ning Yu vaguely noticed the bloodstains on his handkerchief. "You should go back now."

Ha, she went to great lengths to let him know she was still alive, how could she say something like that?

Having grown up in the palace, Xie Yun naturally noticed her unusual behavior. He realized that his impulsiveness might have caused her trouble, and a number of countermeasures came to mind in an instant.

How will the Xie family deal with a patriarch who dares to be so rebellious?

He truly didn't expect, and probably no one did, that the Xie family would produce such a scoundrel who forced his sister-in-law to fake her death so he could keep her as a mistress.

If the Xie family finds out about this, it will definitely cause a huge uproar. How will they handle it?

Xie Yun couldn't help but look at her, his dark eyes swirling with a complex mix of emotions.

Ning Yu had a lot to say to him, but she could feel Xie Xun's gaze fixed on them, so she didn't dare to say anything or get close to him.

"I accept that things have come to this, so don't get involved."

Xie Yun knew she must have been forced into this situation. "Fight your way out, and I'll send you back to the Xie family."

Then, he would be suppressed by Xie Xun in the court and his life would be in danger. Since Xie Xun had already set his sights on him, she couldn't let him get involved.

Moreover, they might not be able to escape safely. If they alert others, how would she survive if she returned to the Xie family under this identity?

She shook her head. "You should go now."

"You died as soon as Xie Yan came back. Was it him?" Seeing her silence, he asked, "When did it start?"

Ning Yu didn't want to say more, and there was no need to say more.

Xie Yun suddenly remembered her meeting him at Chunfeng Tower. Could it have started that early? Did she run into trouble back then and seek help from Xie Xun? Or what happened?

After all this back and forth, is there really so much to say?

Inside the room, Xie Xun's expression was already quite unpleasant, and he tapped his right knuckles lightly on the table twice.

Ning Yu sensed the hostile aura emanating from the window and said in a hoarse voice, "We've known each other for many years and you know my temperament. Now, just listen to me and leave."

Xie Yun was no fool. He had survived the infighting and fratricidal struggles in the palace, but his health deteriorated and he became too weak to fight, so he became a leisurely prince.

But at this moment, he felt an intense hatred for his crippled body. If his influence could infiltrate the council of elders, how could a prince like him be suppressed by Xie Xun like this?

The Xie family, the Xie family?!

The Xie family, which has controlled the council of elders for so many years, should have abdicated long ago. With so many imperial brothers, even the crown prince wants a share of the spoils.