The moon was dark, the wind was high, the night was eerie, and two men and a tiger were moving through the wind-whipped Purple Bamboo Forest.
The two men were handsome and tall, dressed in black, looking extraordinarily heroic and impressive.
Beside them walked the White Tiger, equally majestic, carrying an aura that dominated the mountains and rivers.
"Old Feng, are we really going to do this? Won't this be somewhat not good?"
Ye Xiao glanced at the White Tiger beside him, muttering under his breath, while Feng Xuan shot him a sidelong glance.
"Why don't you go and tell the Prince?"
"No way! I haven't married yet! I refuse to die young!"
"Then shut your mouth."
But Ye Xiao couldn't stay quiet for long and began muttering again.
"By the way, how did that girl offend our Prince? The Prince actually wants Bai to scare her?"
"You say, what if something goes wrong with this delicate young lady being scared, what will we do?"
"Ah, our Prince truly does not cherish women! What if no girls like him in the future?"
Feng Xuan: "..." I'm not listening!
While talking, the two men and the tiger had already reached outside Tingfeng Garden,
Feng Xuan patted the White Tiger, "Go ahead, be careful, don't hurt anyone."
The White Tiger roared towards the sky, its figure shooting toward Tingfeng Garden like an arrow, right into Yun Ran, who was just about to go out for food.
The girl and the beast stared at each other, big eyes against small eyes.
The White Tiger raised its paw, stood up on its hind legs, and grinned menacingly at the petite girl in front of it, flaunting its prowess.
Prince Qin Mansion should just be renamed to Beast Mansion.
And the one in front of her, could it be sent by Nangong Mo to silence her?
Perhaps her calm demeanor made the White Tiger feel its dignity was challenged; it bared its teeth, showing its fierce tiger fangs.
Its master asked it to fiercely scare the one in front, but it seemed this human wasn't afraid?!
"Shut up! Too noisy!"
Out in the corner by the wall.
Ye Xiao pressed his ear desperately against the wall, "Huh? Why is there no sound? Should I go up and take a look?"
Before the words were finished, he leaped onto the wall.
Feng Xuan reached out to stop him but only managed to grab one foot...
Looking at the shoe he had pulled off, Feng Xuan showed a mix of disdain and helplessness, "...Get down quickly!"
"Look! Old Feng, something amazing happened! Quickly, come see!"
"Stop talking, get down now."
"It's true, Bai has betrayed us!"
Feng Xuan frowned, leapt up for a look, and was filled with surprise.
Just a moment ago, Bai, fierce and arrogant, was now lying on the ground obediently like a gentle big cat?
Still wagging his tail at the girl in front, his posture flattering and humble!
And the girl, poking Bai's forehead with her slender fingers, scolding it like a puppy...
The two exchanged startled glances, seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.
Soon, they saw Bai stand up, and the girl gracefully leap onto Bai's back, riding away as the two men watched in astonishment.
Feng Xuan was the first to come to his senses and followed quickly.
"I'll follow her, you report to the Prince."
Nangong Mo was sitting lazily at the desk, resting his chin on one hand, his head slightly tilted, listening carelessly as the female Hidden Guard reported on Lin Wanyue's information. His profile was perfect like a deity from the heavens.
The Luminous Pearl emitted an azure glow, casting a soft aura around him, elusive and dangerous.
"Although Lin Yanran and Mrs. Qin conspired to substitute Lin Wanyue for the marriage, Lin Qianqiu was aware of it."
"Lin Wanyue has someone she loves, she initially refused, then was forced to consume the Soft Muscle Powder, and was knocked unconscious and sent into the bridal sedan."
"Lin Wanyue is naturally timid, her personality weak and easily bullied, always enduring in silence at home, suffering abuse without ever resisting."
The man's lips slowly curled into a playful smile as he lowered his eyes to the portrait on the desk.
In the painting, the woman was beautiful, but her expression was wooden, her eyes timid, her brow lightly furrowed with unrelenting sorrow, displaying awkwardness and unease in her gestures.
It matched what Xue Luo had described, yet was wholly inconsistent with the woman he saw tonight.
Identical appearance, yet completely different personalities.
The Minister Mansion used Lin Wanyue as a substitute, could it be, even this Lin Wanyue is fake?
Just then, from outside came Ye Xiao's ghostly wailing:
"Master, something bad happened, Bai betrayed us!"
After Ye Xiao's vivid description, Nangong Mo barely perceptibly furrowed his brow, his gaze growing deeper.
She actually understands the Beast Taming Skill? A young lady raised in her boudoir and not favored, is that possible?
Having been hungry all day, Yun Ran finally had a satisfying meal and stretched contentedly.
"Mm! Now that I'm full and sated, and feeling sleepless, on this dark windy night, what should I do?"
Bai looked at Yun Ran with innocent wide eyes: It doesn't feel like anything good...
Yun Ran blew on her fingers, smiling warmly and brightly.
That black-hearted Nangong Mo, sending a fierce beast to scare a weak girl?! If it were the original owner, wouldn't she be scared to tears?
Since he's being so inhuman, don't blame her for being... hmph!
An incense stick later, after careful preparation, Yun Ran reached out to pat Bai's head with a grin:
"Bai, which room does your master sleep in? Let's go give him a little surprise."
Bai stared at Yun Ran with his beautiful amber eyes for a while, feeling inwardly resistant, but still carried her to Nangong Mo's Tingxue Pavilion.
The journey was unexpectedly smooth, without even half a guard to stop them, making Yun Ran marvel:
For a prince, he should at least have some guards; she reached his bedroom door so easily... there's really no challenge at all!
Glancing at the bucket of ice water in her left hand, Yun Ran waved to signal Bai to retreat and tiptoed into the bedchamber.
Maneuvering around layers of screens and bead curtains, she finally made her way, in the dark, to Nangong Mo's bedside.
Her right hand, holding a banana leaf soaked in ice water, fanned towards Nangong Mo's bed.
The wind howled, chilling and cold, as if a ghostly wind was sweeping through.
"Beauty... This immortal is here, wake quickly and greet your visitor..."
Yun Ran's voice sounded cold and eerie, like the ghostly wail of a wandering spirit in the dead of night.
Nangong Mo slowly opened his eyes, and upon seeing the 'floating' girl at his bedside, barely perceptibly twitched the corner of his mouth.
Moonlight streamed through the half-open lattice window, casting shadowy patterns across the room. In the dim light, the girl wore a loose white robe, floating in the air, her long sleeves almost brushing the ground.
She held a bucket in her left hand and a banana leaf in her right, fanning the ghostly wind at him fluidly.
Thousands of strands of her hair scattered like a waterfall, a few wisps brushing past his cheek, carrying a faint, elusive fragrance.
Nangong Mo raised his hand, lightly pinching a lock of hair that brushed his ear, twisting it around his finger.
Then, he tugged sharply.
Caught off guard, Yun Ran let out a small cry, feeling a fierce urge to pounce and bite him to death!
[Damn scoundrel! Just wait, one day I'll pluck you bald!]
"Since you're awake, give this immortal a smile to cheer me up."
At this moment, Yun Ran's voice was not only spooky and ghostly but also carried a tinge of teeth-gritting menace.
Nangong Mo's thin lips curved slightly, seemingly smiling yet not, with a cold sneer.
"What petty trickster is this, pretending to be a ghost?"
Yun Ran fanned another gust of ghostly wind, her long icy silken sleeve twirling across his face.
"This immortal is a spirit that has wandered the world for millions of years, passing by tonight. Seeing your unparalleled beauty, I am very pleased and wish to take you back as a husband of the ridge."
"Ha! So you're just a female ghost."
Yun Ran looked at the amused curve of his mouth, feeling quite frustrated.
[He's not scared at all?]
[And it's as if he's mocking her?!]
[Knowing he couldn't see her, she had meticulously 'dressed up', such dedication, all for nothing!]
"Wrong! I'm a flower-stealing female ghost! I specifically target handsome men like you!"
"So, was your overly bold desire for beauty the reason you were beaten to death?"
[Isn't that rude? Is that really what you should be concerned about?! Can't you at least act like you know what it means to be sought after by a flower-thief?]
Nangong Mo, in the faint moonlight, observed the young woman dressed as a ghost before him.
Bright eyes and white teeth, eyebrows like paintings, with fine, beautiful features and an elegant, unmatched grace.
Especially those eyes, like a sky full of stars falling into limpid autumn waters, radiant and charming, vivacious and mischievous.
It was those eyes that illuminated her whole face, making the surroundings fade into dullness.
"Congratulations, this immortal has decided to stop stealing flowers!"
"Oh? Backing down in the face of difficulty?"
In response, Yun Ran coldly chuckled, "No, this immortal will eat you! Bite by bite, raw."
"That said, it's been a long time since this immortal has eaten a human. Seeing your beautiful, flower-like face, it must be extremely delicious! Hmm, where should I start eating first?"
Yun Ran truly floated a little closer, slightly leaned towards Nangong Mo.
One hand propped on the bed beside him, while the other, wrapped in a specially tailored sleek icy sleeve, reached towards his stunning face.