Chapter Thirty-Nine: Offering Oneself in Return

Xiao Muyuan’s warm breath brushed against Luo Yunqiao’s ear, causing her to blush down to her neck and her breathing to quicken.

She gripped her sleeves tightly, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "Your... Your Highness, what is it that you want?"

"The eldest daughter of the Luo family is empty-handed and has nothing to offer me. That being the case—" Xiao Muyuan found her current state utterly adorable. He gripped her chin, their eyes locking, and the air inside the carriage grew thin. "How about you offer yourself?"

Luo Yunqiao felt as though she were being led by the nose. Remembering that she had encountered Xiao Muyuan at the Wanchun Pavilion today, a sudden sense of irritation welled up within her. She pushed him away with a cold snort. "Your Highness must be drunk to tease me as if I were some woman from the Wanchun Pavilion. If this matter is settled, I shall have no distractions and will dedicate myself to your cause. Otherwise, Your Highness may wait indefinitely."

With that, she turned away, refusing to look at him any longer.

Xiao Muyuan’s hands fell into empty air. Seeing his little kitten with her fur standing on end, he realized he had crossed a line and sat back in his seat.

Suddenly, a voice came from outside. "Your Highness, my subordinates have found the maidservant who served Yue Luan. She is in the Earth Temple, but she was already dead when we found her. Although her body was still warm, her throat had been slit—there was no hope for her. However, we did find a vial of poison beside her."

"Is it the poison that killed Yue Luan?" Luo Yunqiao asked urgently.

Li Yi, hearing a woman's voice in the carriage, was momentarily stunned. Realizing it was Luo Yunqiao, he hurriedly reported, "It is not yet known; we must investigate thoroughly."

The situation had become increasingly tangled and mysterious.

Luo Yunqiao, however, showed no trace of annoyance. Instead, she curled her lips. The harder it was to investigate, the deeper the culprit was hiding. She fixed her gaze on Xiao Muyuan and said, "I am afraid I must trouble Your Highness with this investigation. Also, the identity of that Miss Yue Luan is likely far from simple."

She intentionally drew out her words, though it was unclear to whom she was speaking.

"Very well." Xiao Muyuan gave a faint nod without saying a word. Since such an incident had occurred at the Wanchun Pavilion, even if it were not his official duty, he would see to it personally to find out who dared to cause trouble right under his nose.

The carriage stopped before the residence of the Marquis of Jing'an. The doorman immediately brought over a footstool, eager to curry favor.

Yinxin saw through his intentions, calmly nudging him aside as she helped her mistress disembark.

Luo Yunqiao, still wearing her cloak, bowed gracefully toward the carriage, her voice as melodic as an oriole. "Many thanks to Your Highness for escorting me back today. I wish you a safe journey."

She raised her voice, clearly not intending for the message to be for Xiao Muyuan alone.

Xiao Muyuan looked at her with deep eyes, then shifted his gaze to a stealthy figure lurking within the Marquis’s estate behind her. Sensing the young girl's intentions, he chimed in, "Very well."

As the carriage pulled away, Luo Yunqiao headed into the estate.

"Stop right there!"

She had been walking slowly, and after stepping through the gate, she paused on purpose. Yet, upon hearing the shout, she feigned shock, though her voice remained calm. "What is this, brother? It’s a good thing His Highness has already left; otherwise, he might have been startled by that shout."

Luo Zefeng felt a surge of frustration, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at her. Seeing her composure—not a hint of fear in her voice—he thought, "She was startled? Only a fool would believe that!"

"If there is nothing else, I shall return to my quarters."

Luo Yunqiao had spotted him the moment she stepped out of the carriage and had staged that scene to keep him from causing trouble. She hadn't expected him to stop her anyway. She was currently fretting over clues for the case and had no time to waste on Luo Zefeng.

"Stop!" Luo Zefeng shouted again, stepping forward to block her path. "Where did you go today?"

Luo Yunqiao paused.

Luo Zefeng had never cared about her affairs before, yet today, just because she had visited a house of ill repute, he had intercepted her to interrogate her...

Her eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp, and her voice turned cold. "Why do you ask? Am I no longer a person simply because I am the eldest daughter of the Marquis’s estate? Must I report my comings and goings to the second young master of the Luo family? If you don't give your approval, am I forbidden from leaving?"

"In the past, did Luo Yunzhen also report everything to you like this?"

She took a step forward, her presence overwhelming Luo Zefeng’s own.

"That's not it!" Luo Zefeng faltered under her gaze and hurried to explain.

"If that is the case, then why are you wagging your tongue?"

With that, Luo Yunqiao stepped forward, intending to walk past him, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't try to gloss over this. I am asking you, what were you doing at a brothel today?" Luo Zefeng roared.

He had heard rumors that Luo Yunqiao had gone to the Wanchun Pavilion, and his anger had hit the roof.

He knew it! This wretch was unworthy of her position; she was not fit to be the legitimate eldest daughter of their Marquis’s estate. She had only been the eldest daughter for a few days, and already she dared to visit a brothel—a disgraceful place that shamed the family name!

He had wanted to drag her back, but out of concern for the family's reputation, he had refrained. Instead, he had waited at the gate, intending to confront her immediately, only to find that Xiao Muyuan was the one who had brought her back.

He was furious, yet he dared not offend the Prince of Yan!

"Do you have any idea what kind of women frequent brothels? If you want to act like some ignorant country bumpkin and be mocked, that's one thing, but you are now the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Jing'an! Every word and action of yours reflects on this house. By going to such a place, are you not mocking us for sending you away to chant sutras, deliberately inviting the whole city to laugh at us?"

"I think you should have just died out there! At least then you wouldn't have stained the reputation of the Marquis of Jing'an!"

Luo Zefeng, consumed by rage, spoke without thinking.

Luo Yunqiao looked at him, her eyes filled with mockery.

This was not the first time her own flesh and blood had expressed that he wished she had died.

If he had such thoughts all along, why did he insist on bringing her back? Why did he insist on interfering in her life?

What’s more...

She knitted her brows and challenged him, "How did you know I went to the Wanchun Pavilion?"

She had disguised herself specifically to avoid being noticed, yet Luo Zefeng had known her whereabouts while waiting at home.

"Did you have me followed?" Luo Yunqiao laughed in cold anger. "The second young master of the Luo family is truly bored. Instead of thinking about how to earn merit and bring glory to the family name, you spend your days trying to find faults in me, hoping to drive me out of the estate... Ha! You have never acted like a brother, and now you want to control me? Dream on!"

She did not want to continue the argument, nor did she want them to know she was conducting her own investigation.

Luo Zefeng’s chest heaved with rage. He raised his arm, preparing to deliver a heavy slap.

Luo Yunqiao couldn't dodge in time and instinctively closed her eyes, but the expected pain did not come.

She opened her eyes to see Yinxin shielding her, her own face already swollen and red.