Chapter 223 -

Chapter 223: Chapter

Wenzhe sat on the edge of the bed, his dark hair falling messy over his shoulders. He looked up at Yueqing with confused eyes, then looked down at the silk ribbon wrapped around her fingers.

"Bring... bring what out?" Wenzhe asked softly.

"Don’t play dumb with me, General Xi!" Yueqing scolded in a quiet voice. "You know what I mean! You refuse to leave my room and you won’t calm down, so we are fixing this problem right now so I can sleep!"

Wenzhe blinked, his neck and ears turning bright red. He looked at her fierce face, then at her hands. A sheepish smile touched his lips as he understood what she meant.

Slowly, he reached down and loosened his trousers, letting them slide lower down his waist.

Yueqing’s face felt hot, but she did not back away. She knelt on the edge of the bed right in front of him.

"Look at me," Yueqing said softly, wrapping the ribbon neatly around her hand. "If I help you, you have to promise to go straight to sleep and not bother me again. Deal?"

Wenzhe’s dark eyes grew heavy with heat. He let out a low breath and leaned his head back against the bed.

"Deal," Wenzhe whispered, his hands gripping the bedsheets tightly.

Yueqing reached out, her silk-wrapped hand gently holding him.

Wenzhe’s breath stopped for a second. He let out a sharp gasp as his whole body went stiff.

"Yueqing..." he groaned softly, tilting his head back.

Yueqing began to move her hand up and down in a steady rhythm. She kept her eyes on his face, watching the proud general melt under her touch. His chest rose and fell heavily, and his brows pulled together in pleasure.

"Faster..." Wenzhe whispered in a rough voice. He reached out and grabbed her thigh over her nightgown. "Yueqing, please..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Yueqing whispered quickly, her cheeks burning. "Do you want the servants to hear you?!"

Even though she scolded him, she moved her hand faster and firmer. Wenzhe let out a low groan, moving his hips slightly to chase her touch.

Wenzhe opened his heavy eyes and looked at her. Seeing her kneeling before him with messy hair and red cheeks, taking care of him so patiently, made a wave of love crash through his heart.

He reached up, held the back of her neck, and pulled her in for a deep kiss.

Yueqing gasped into his mouth, but she did not push him away. She kept her hand moving fast through the smooth silk ribbon until she felt his body go completely tight.

Wenzhe’s breath broke into short gasps against her lips. His entire body shook as he finally let go, pouring his heat into the soft silk on her hand.

He let out a long sigh, resting his heavy head on her shoulder.

The dark room became quiet again, except for the sound of his slow breathing.

Yueqing sat back, carefully unwrapping the dirty silk ribbon and dropping it onto the floor. She wiped her hands clean on a cloth from her table before turning back to the bed.

Wenzhe lay back on the pillows, looking tired, peaceful, and completely happy.

"Are you done now, General?" Yueqing asked, standing over him with her hands on her hips.

Wenzhe opened one eye and looked at her with warm gratitude. He reached out, pulled her down beside him on the mattress, and dragged the thick blanket over them both.

"Yes," Wenzhe whispered softly, holding her close against his chest. "Thank you, my wife."

Yueqing let out a small huff, resting her hands against his broad chest as she finally closed her eyes. "You owe me for this, Xi Wenzhe. Tomorrow, you better behave when we go out."

"I will," Wenzhe whispered into the dark as he fell asleep. "I promise."

Just as he had promised, Wenzhe was actually quite obedient that day. He walked quietly beside Yueqing, holding his head high like a noble general, but staying completely calm and well-behaved.

When they arrived at the Prime Minister’s grand estate, the servants welcomed them warmly and led them into the spacious main hall. The Prime Minister and his wife were already waiting, offering them fine tea and delicious snacks with welcoming smiles.

Yueqing took charge of the conversation. She sat gracefully, holding her teacup as she looked toward the Prime Minister’s wife.

"Madam, our Xi family holds your household in very high regard," Yueqing said softly, her voice sweet and polite. "Lanyin is a gentle girl, and Lord Zi Han is well-known as the top scholar. We believe they would make a wonderful match."

The Prime Minister’s wife smiled warmly, nodding her head. "Lady Su, I have seen Lady Lanyin many times, especially when I came for the ladies’ banquet at the Xi estate. She is truly as the rumors say her to be calm, smart, and elegant, a befitting daughter-in-law. My husband and I would be more than happy to welcome her into our family."

"Indeed," the Prime Minister agreed, stroking his long beard with a pleased expression. "Zi Han has reached the right age for marriage, and a union between our two families would bring great honor."

Just as the talk was going smoothly, Wenzhe set his teacup down on the small table with a quiet clink.

"I want to hear the answer from Zi Han himself," Wenzhe spoke up, his deep voice cutting across the room. He turned his dark eyes toward the Prime Minister. "I want to know if he is truly ready to marry my sister. I refuse to wed my sister off to a man who does not love her."

Hearing those words, Yueqing almost choked on her tea.

[Hypocrite much?!] Yueqing shouted inside her mind, her eyes darting sideways to glare at Wenzhe’s face. [Have you forgotten that you married me despite despising me back then?! How dare you act like a protective, saintly older brother now!]

Wenzhe’s face twitched slightly, his ears picking up her sharp inner voicebut he kept his expression cold and completely ignored her silent complaints.

The Prime Minister smiled gently, unfazed by Wenzhe’s serious tone. "General Xi, your concern for your sister is understandable. However, you do not need to worry. Zi Han has already expressed his agreement to this match. In fact, he—"

Before the Prime Minister could finish his sentence, the heavy wooden doors of the hall creaked open.

Zi Han stepped into the room, breathing slightly fast as if he had just been running. He held a scroll in his hand, having rushed through his daily scholarly essays as fast as he could just to come see the Xi family visitors.

His mother looked over at him with a soft smile. "Zi Han, you arrived at the right time. General Xi was just asking if you are truly ready to take Lanyin as your wife."

Hearing his mother’s question, Zi Han did not hesitate for even a second. His face brightened immediately. He set his scroll aside on a side table, stepped straight into the center of the hall, and folded his hands together, bowing deeply toward Wenzhe.

"General Xi," Zi Han said, his voice earnest and full of respect. "I am completely sincere about this marriage. I care deeply about Lady Lanyin and would never wish to harm or hurt her in any way. If I am blessed to take her as my wife, I will take care of her with extra love and attention for the rest of my life."