Wu Ciyun frowned slightly upon hearing this, her intuition telling her that these two visitors probably had no good intentions, so she snapped irritably, “Just tell them I’m not feeling well and have already gone to rest.”
Now that Prince Rui was watching her every move with a sharp gaze, her trip to the Liang Capital at least lowered his guard somewhat.
But with Wen Guanyu and General Chu Mingyi visiting late at night, if word got back to Prince Rui, he’d almost certainly suspect they were colluding.
A Ming’s expression showed a trace of hesitation as he quietly added, “Grand Tutor Wen said they’re unfamiliar with the city and didn’t alert anyone on their way here. If you don’t see them, he’ll have to inform the Embassy staff to guide them.”
This person was as annoying as ever.
Wu Ciyun clicked her tongue lightly, her expression instantly darkening.
The System had never seen Wu Ciyun react like this before. It had witnessed her employ all manner of threats, deception, betrayal, and assassination—but this was the first time it had seen her be so thoroughly put in her place by one person multiple times.
Look at that.
Rong Tan already hated Wen Guanyu to the point of wanting him torn to pieces, and now, seeing him brazenly strut in like this, his expression also soured noticeably.
“Ah Yun, why not…”
“Since that’s the case, then please have Grand Tutor Wen and General Chu sit in the Study for a while.”
Wu Ciyun closed her eyes lightly, showing no intention of rising, resolved to keep them waiting for some time.
A Ming understood immediately and was about to take his leave, but Rong Tan didn’t agree with Wu Ciyun’s approach.
He gently tugged at Wu Ciyun’s sleeve and whispered, “Ah Yun, why don’t I go send them off? It’s a waste of our family’s tea to let such people in.”
“Is that so?”
“Why the sudden stinginess?”
Wu Ciyun gave him a half-smile and glanced at him before turning to A Ming, “In that case, no need to serve tea—just bring two cups of plain water.”
A Ming nodded and left silently, not wanting to disturb Wu Ciyun further.
Rong Tan still looked a little displeased and leaned in to persuade her again, but Wu Ciyun found him noisy. She lightly kissed his cheek.
Rather than a kiss, it was more like a simple touch of skin.
Wu Ciyun pressed close to his face, sitting fully in his arms, her hand lightly tightening around his neck, instantly shortening the distance between them.
Rong Tan felt the faint, cool fragrance clinging to her breath.
They were like two birds nestled closely in a nest, and if he just lowered his head a little, he could touch her warm, soft feathers.
Thinking this, he simply acted on impulse.
Rong Tan gently captured Wu Ciyun’s lips with his, their breaths mingling. Feigning casualness, he cupped her cheek, fingers subtly pinching her soft skin.
Truly soft.
Wu Ciyun’s heart could sometimes be hard, but her cheeks and lips were always tender, drawing him in without resistance.
His fingers brushed against her sash. Since nearly being trapped by Xiao Wan last time, Wu Ciyun had tied her sash in a more complicated way.
It was troublesome to tie and even more so to untie. Seeing Wu Ciyun’s impatience, Rong Tan deftly loosened it with one hand while gently kissing her to soothe her restlessness.
Wu Ciyun wasn’t obsessed with love matters, especially in winter when her body was sluggish and her interest waned.
Those few times they were intimate, it was usually because Rong Tan was too persistent to resist.
But tonight, her mood seemed unusually high.
Rong Tan noticed Wu Ciyun staring intently at him, her eyes sparkling like stars, faintly excited and fascinated.
The room grew warmer, the incense burning in the brazier becoming charged with a newfound intimacy.
Wu Ciyun allowed Rong Tan’s kisses to trail downward. Her breathing quickened.
Suddenly, she raised her hand to press lightly against his throat, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appearing at the corner of her lips.
She had once wanted to kill Rong Tan outright, but now she realized his life was even more valuable than she had imagined.
The System had said before that she would rise step by step to the peak of power in the Liang Dynasty.
Looking at Rong Tan before her, she suddenly hallucinated that she already grasped that power—that everyone was prostrating at her feet. Overcome by excitement, her mind approached a breaking point.
“Ah Yun, what’s wrong…?”
Rong Tan didn’t understand. Following Wu Ciyun’s movement, he kissed her wrist, his fingertips probing lightly through the thin fabric.
Not even half an inch in, his palm was already wet.
Wu Ciyun’s clothes were disheveled, her eyes moist as if touched by spring rain.
She gently pushed Rong Tan away and leaned back against the soft pillow, slowly calming her breath.
Rong Tan hesitated, staring at his still-damp palm. Suddenly, he realized a crucial fact.
Wu Ciyun really wasn’t well.
Wu Ciyun had instructed to keep Wen Guanyu and General Chu cold-shouldered.
Naturally, A Ming followed orders, leading the two to the Study and bringing them two cups of plain water.
Chu Mingyi was already seething with anger, and upon lifting the cup cover to find only clear water, he nearly burst out laughing in disbelief.
“Wu Ciyun is still a Duke Protector of the State, yet her household can’t even afford tea?”
Wen Guanyu, however, remained expressionless.
He lifted the cup and sipped, as if savoring a tribute-grade tea, completely unconcerned that Wu Ciyun might poison it.
After a moment, he set the cup down gently, looking toward the flickering shadows behind the folding screen.
He said slowly, “To the two young friends behind there, I wonder how long you intend to hide.”
Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu had originally planned to surprise Wu Ciyun in the Study, but halfway through hiding, A Ming brought others in. Realizing they’d been discovered, the two could only walk out dejectedly.
A Ming hadn’t expected the siblings to be there.
Just as he was about to call the maids to lead them out, Wen Guanyu spoke, “Who are these two?”
“I’m Wu Mingzhu, and he’s Wu Liangyu. Are you guests of our eldest brother?”
Wu Mingzhu said boldly without shyness.
But when she saw General Chu beside Wen Guanyu, she couldn’t help but disdainfully wrinkle her nose.
She complained that this Liang Dynasty general always bullied their eldest brother and was no good, even though he had given her a little flying squirrel as a gift.
Still, she hated him.
Chu Mingyi couldn’t understand why Wu Mingzhu treated him this way from the start.
After thinking it over, he suspected Rong Tan was behind this, trying to eliminate rivals to consolidate his own position.
“Shameless and despicable, corrupting even the Misses!”
“A treasure like Mingzhu without flaw, and good jade like Liangyu is indeed a fine name,” Wen Guanyu said unexpectedly kindly, asking, “Did your eldest brother choose your names?”
Wu Liangyu had been observing Wen Guanyu’s every move and shook his head honestly, “My sister and I were named by Mother.”
“Don’t speak nonsense,” Wu Mingzhu whispered fiercely, very wary of these two uninvited visitors. She pulled Wu Liangyu aside, “What if they’re bad people?”
Wu Liangyu glanced at Wen Guanyu quietly and whispered, “But I think they probably aren’t…”
This man before them not only had the same temperament as their eldest brother but even shared some subtle habits.
Rather than being bad people, he seemed more like their brother’s friend.
Wu Ciyun had originally intended to keep Wen Guanyu and Chu Mingyi waiting longer. Unexpectedly, a servant hurried in to report that the two siblings had gone to the Study.
Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu were not only her nominal younger siblings but the Wu Family’s biological children.
Worried Wen Guanyu might have some scheme, she hurriedly changed clothes and went to deal with the situation.
Although Rong Tan disliked seeing Wen Guanyu and Chu Mingyi again, when Wu Ciyun rose, he silently followed.
“Eldest Brother!”
As soon as Wu Ciyun stepped into the Study, Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu rushed at her like two joyful little birds.
Rong Tan was startled and quickly caught them before they collided with Wu Ciyun, afraid her frail body would be knocked down by the two plump little birds.
“Why are you coming to the Study so late at night? Do you find your homework too easy?”
Wu Ciyun lightly scolded them, and Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu exchanged a glance, then clung to her, whining and acting coquettish.
“We just wanted to joke with Eldest Brother. We didn’t know there’d be guests this late…”
From the moment Wu Ciyun entered, Chu Mingyi sensed something was off. He scanned her up and down, feeling she was different tonight.
If he had to say, her eyes were wetter than usual, her complexion better, and her normally pale lips were flushed red as if with rouge.
There was even a faint red mark beneath her collar…
Wait, didn’t the Doctor of Liang Dynasty say Wu Ciyun wasn’t well?!
So what exactly were these two adulterers sneaking around doing just now?!
Chu Mingyi’s expression changed drastically. His gaze shifted from Wu Ciyun to Rong Tan.
Thinking back on what had happened in the palace, his loathing only intensified.
This man was cunning and had Wu Ciyun so infatuated, he would inevitably become his elder brother’s most dangerous adversary.
For now, since they were still in Shengjing, he would tolerate Rong Tan’s arrogance for a few days.
But once Wu Ciyun reached the Liang Capital, he would make this shameless seducer pay dearly.
Wen Guanyu calmly watched the harmonious scene before him. As Rong Tan had said, they truly looked like a happy family.
Wu Ciyun and Rong Tan had adorable, lively children, their gestures natural and intimate.
Those who once orbited around him had betrayed him, becoming the pillar of another household, having completely abandoned their pasts to live happily.
Just watching this was blindingly painful.
Wen Guanyu tapped his fingers on the table and looked at Rong Tan holding the children.
He said deliberately, “Prince Xun, I came today to ask if Your Highness intends to return to the Liang Capital with us.”