After being reborn, the aloof prime minister was once again forced by a tyrant.

When the wedding banquet ended, the moon was already high in the sky.

The wind outside the palace carried the lingering smell of wine as Xie Qinglan stepped down from the steps, intending to return to the inn to rest.

Gao Anhou stood under the corridor and bowed to stop him: "Prime Minister, please wait. The palace gates are now locked, and it is inconvenient for officials to come and go after the curfew. His Majesty has instructed me to arrange lodging in the palace for you, Prime Minister."

Xie Qinglan frowned slightly: "No need, I will return to the post station."

"Tonight's palace banquet has been manned by more guards, and even with the palace gates open, the patrols and questioning outside the city are more stringent."

Gao An spoke respectfully, "Prime Minister, please stay overnight and leave the palace tomorrow. This will save you from traveling late at night."

Xie Qinglan pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. He knew in his heart that the Northern Shuo Palace was a place where the law was absolute, and since Gao An had come by imperial decree, there was no reason for him to insist on leaving.

Gao An, carrying a lantern, led the way into the depths of the palace. The red walls lined the path, and the palace lanterns stretched out in long lines. After walking for a long time, they finally stopped before a hall. Under the eaves, a plaque with iron-painted, silver-hooked characters read "Lan Yue Ge" (Moon-Embracing Pavilion).

Xie Qinglan couldn't help but feel puzzled.

This palace, with its intricate brackets and soaring eaves, is comparable in scale to a concubine's palace, and is certainly not a place for foreign envoys to stay overnight. The name "Lan Yue" is even more enchanting, but for foreign envoys to stay overnight, it would be sufficient to arrange them in a side courtyard. To arrange such a palace is far too excessive.

He hesitated for a moment, then remained silent and stepped inside.

The interior furnishings were simple yet elegant, with celadon writing implements on the desk and a painting of wolves hunting in the snow hanging on the wall.

Just as he was about to call someone to bring water, the window suddenly creaked.

Xie Qinglan's fingertips instantly pressed against the sword at his waist. He never parted with his sword; with his skill, even empty-handed, ordinary assassins could not get close to him.

The window was pushed open from the outside, and a figure in black jumped in. The figure's broad shoulders and narrow waist were accentuated by his black clothes, and his face was not covered by a black cloth.

The moonlight slanted across the man's eyebrows and eyes; his sword-like eyebrows reached his temples, and his pupils were a light color, like the surface of a frozen lake in the dead of winter.

It wasn't an assassin. It was Xiao Jingyuan.

Xie Qinglan slowly loosened her knuckles, relaxing her guard, and asked with suspicion, "What brings Your Majesty here so late at night?"

He then added, "Your Majesty's unauthorized entry into the residence of a foreign official late at night through a window is unbecoming of an emperor."

Xiao Jingyuan stood by the window, his breathing slightly disordered, his Adam's apple bobbing rapidly. He had been restless since the banquet began, his mind filled with the image of this man in crimson robes standing tall beneath the imperial throne. Finally, when the banquet ended, he circled half the palace wall and climbed in through the window.

Imperial decorum? What does that matter in front of the person you want to see?

"I have come to see you."

"I have already seen the Golden Palace in broad daylight."

"That doesn't count." Xiao Jingyuan took a step forward. "Separated by hundreds of officials and the imperial desk, you stood below His Highness without even raising your head. What kind of audience is that?"

Xie Qinglan sensed something was wrong and got up to retreat, her back instantly pressing against the cold bedpost. Her gaze suddenly sharpened: "Your Majesty, please return."

"I will not return."

Before he could finish speaking, the person had already approached him.

Seeing that the newcomer was hostile, Xie Qinglan raised his palm and struck, the palm wind carrying a force that went straight for Jianjing (GB2). This palm strike used seventy percent of his strength, and even a top-notch martial arts master would have to retreat three steps.

But Xiao Jingyuan simply sidestepped, flipped his wrist, and accurately seized his pulse point. With a twist of his backhand, his entire arm was pinned behind his back, the force so strong that he couldn't move, and the internal energy in his meridians instantly stagnated, unable to circulate at all.

Xie Qinglan was shocked; this person was even stronger than he had expected.

"Impressive skills." Xiao Jingyuan leaned down, his nose brushing against the side of his neck. A cool fragrance mixed with the scent of soap on his clothes wafted in, and his breathing became heavier. "You smell so good."

"The moment I saw you in the palace today, I thought—"

His lips were almost touching my earlobe, and the heat from his breath made my ear tips tingle.

"This person must be mine."

He spoke bluntly, without beating around the bush. One look wasn't enough. From the moment his eyes met the other's, his very bones screamed that he wanted to touch him, to keep him, to hold him firmly in his grasp.

Xie Qinglan's mind went blank.

In a diplomatic ceremony between two countries, a marriage alliance was being held. He was the Prime Minister of Nanyue, and the other party was the Emperor of Beishuo. How absurd and frivolous were these words!

A surge of shame and anger welled up within him. He twisted around and struck the man in the chest with the tip of his elbow, shouting sharply, "Your Majesty, have some self-respect!"

Xiao Jingyuan took the blow hard, letting out a muffled groan, his hand gripping his pulse point remaining motionless. His other hand pinched Xiao Jingyuan's chin, forcing him to turn his head.

The moonlight fell on Xie Qinglan's face, revealing her clear and sharp features, filled with anger but without a trace of fear.

"you--"

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Jingyuan had already pressed three acupoints on him with his fingertips. The touch was swift and precise, and Xie Qinglan felt a numbness in his chest, as if all his strength had been drained away, and his limbs suddenly went limp.

"Xiao Jingyuan! What have you done to deserve this?!"

He shouted at Xiao Jingyuan by name, his voice clear and angry, but it was like a pebble thrown into boiling oil, exploding instantly.

Xiao Jingyuan felt all the blood rush to his head, and his ear tips went numb. Far from being angry, his Adam's apple bobbed even more rapidly, and the dark fire in his eyes burned even brighter.

Even when this person is angry and cursing, they pronounce their name so beautifully.

"I'm here." His voice was hoarse, barely containing his barely suppressed excitement. "Qinglan called out beautifully, say it again."

Xie Qinglan could hardly believe it.

How could there be such a shameless person in the world? As an emperor, he acts without any rules, spouts nonsense, and is completely different from the tyrannical monarchs rumored to be. He is more like a wild rogue.

His chest heaved with anger, and the corners of his eyes turned slightly red, but he couldn't move and could only glare at him. That anger was wrapped in a hint of unknowing beauty, like a winter plum blossom covered in dew. It looked prickly, but it was actually very soft and had no intimidating power at all. Instead, it made people want to bully him even more.

Xiao Jingyuan's breath hitched.

He had never felt this way with anyone before—like a wolf that had been starving for a long time encountering its prey, its blood roaring, its lower body aching with hardness, unable to wait even a second longer.

He scooped Xie Qinglan up by the knees and placed him on the bed. The movement wasn't exactly gentle, but just as Xie Qinglan's head was about to hit the bed rail, he swiftly slapped him.

Xie Qinglan lay on her back, about to open her mouth to scold, when someone covered her lips with a kiss.

The kiss was hot, impulsive, clumsy, and carried a reckless ferocity, like a starving beast that had seized meat but was afraid of breaking it, so it could only hold it in its mouth and rub against it, the force almost rough.

Xiao Jingyuan's lips traced from the corner of his lips to his chin, then down to his Adam's apple, his breathing becoming heavier and heavier.

His hands were hurried and erratic as he tried to untie the belt. After a couple of attempts, he couldn't get it right, so he simply used his fingertips and ripped the belt off. The soft sound of the fabric tearing was especially clear in the night.

"Don't be afraid." He brushed his thumb against Xie Qinglan's taut lips, his voice low and hoarse. "I know you are the Prime Minister of Nanyue, and I know you are unwilling. But I can't wait."

"I want you."

He held Xie Qinglan's waist tightly, his palms burning hot, as if he wanted to leave a mark even through her inner garment.

"Today in the main hall, everyone was kneeling before me, but you refused to kneel." He pressed his breath against Xie Qinglan's neck, his tone surprisingly tinged with aggrieved ruthlessness. "You kept your face cold and wouldn't even look at me. I wanted to strip you off your red robe and pin you down on the dragon throne to kiss you."

Upon hearing this, Xie Qinglan was so ashamed and indignant that she almost bit her tongue off.

Shameless, scoundrel, pervert!

He had been in charge of the government in Nanyue for more than ten years, and everyone in the court and the country respected him. Even the young emperor had to give him face. Now he was being treated so lightly and humiliated.

Unfortunately, he was powerless and unable to break free, leaving him no choice but to let the other person do as they pleased. A sense of shame washed over him like a tide, mixed with a panic he himself was unaware of, making his heart tremble.

He could hear the man's heavy breathing, calling his name again and again: "Qinglan... Qinglan..." Each breath was lower and hotter than the last.

At first, it was a fierce storm that hurt people's bones, but later it slowed down, with a bit of helplessness and caution, like holding a precious treasure that was afraid of breaking, reluctant to use force, yet unwilling to let go.

Xie Qinglan bit his lips until they were numb, but the other person raised his hand and covered his lips with it, his breath hot enough to make him tremble: "Don't hold back. I want to hear it."

A sudden chill ran down my spine.

Xie Qinglan suddenly opened her eyes.

Above was the plain white gauze curtain of the post station, not the carved pear wood canopy of the Lan Yue Pavilion. Moonlight filtered in through the window, cold and desolate.

There was no Xiao Jingyuan, no scorching breath, no clinging force. Only his own heartbeat, pounding in his chest like a drum, making his eardrums buzz.

—It was a dream. It was that night from a past life, which crashed right into my dream.

He propped himself up on the bed, the quilt slipping off his shoulders. His back was soaked with cold sweat, clinging coolly to his skin.

The next moment, he froze completely.

An unusual dampness came from below.

Blood rushed to Xie Qinglan's head. Xie Qinglan's face remained expressionless, but the tips of her ears instantly turned bright red, and even her neck felt hot.

He dreamt of being forcibly taken in his past life, and he actually...

absurd.

He stiffly threw off the covers and got out of bed. He went to the wardrobe, found some clean underpants, and changed his clothes by moonlight with his back to the window. His fingertips trembled slightly as he tied the ties—he couldn't tell if it was from anger or embarrassment.

The moonlight slanted across his face, making his ear appear bright red, almost as if it were about to bleed.

He crumpled up his clothes and stuffed them into the bottom of his trunk, as if that would bury the absurd dream along with them.

After sitting back on the edge of the bed for a while, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my lower back.

He lowered his head, and the mutton-fat jade pendant slid off his clothes. The character "Lan" was bathed in moonlight, gleaming with a warm light, and quietly rested on his waist.

He had rubbed the engravings countless times during the day, and that's when he had this dream at night.

Xie Qinglan reached out to untie the knot of the jade pendant, intending to toss it to her pillow, but her hand froze halfway up. In the end, she simply clenched it in her palm, gripping it tighter and tighter.

A dream is a dream, and a past life is a past life.

He should have hated the forced possession that night, hated the man's lack of explanation.

But in his dream just now, unable to move, when he met those eyes filled with burning passion and stubbornness, he felt little hatred. Even when the words "I want to hear" fell into his ears, he almost let out a sound.

Xie Qinglan closed her eyes and raised her hand to cover her face. Her palms were burning hot.

It's crazy.

He sat by the bed for a long time until his heartbeat gradually calmed down and the heat in his ears slowly subsided.

I got up and walked to the window, pushing it open a crack. The night breeze blew in, carrying the coolness of a spring night, instantly clearing my mind.

The courtyard of the inn was quiet; there was no creaking of roof tiles or the sound of clothes brushing against the eaves.

He didn't come tonight.

Xie Qinglan lowered her eyes and closed the window.

He turned around, took the outer robe and put it on, then re-tied the jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips—this time he didn't hide it deep under the hem, but let it show under the outer robe, faintly visible through the layer of moon-white brocade.

Xie Qinglan raised his hand and opened the door, the night breeze in the corridor lifting the hem of his clothes.

Xiao Jingyuan refused to come, so he went to find him.

We should take the initiative at least once.