Chapter 030: Becoming… Like a Big Gray Wolf?

Chapter 030: Becoming... Like a Big Gray Wolf?

Stumbling into the crowd, Ruan Qinghuan's mind was still in a fog, still wrapped up in thoughts about He An's surprise kiss.

Oh no, looks like the cold and aloof image I've been maintaining is starting to crumble, huh?

The second prince did this to make the crown prince think that He An was on his side. Now that He An is outside, the second prince's plan is definitely ruined.

The two of them followed at the very back of the crowd, initially not paying much attention to what was happening in the courtyard. As they got closer, they both realized something was wrong.

Though the doors and windows of the inner courtyard were tightly shut, the lock on the door was missing, and the sounds coming from inside were anything but pleasant to hear.

Even Ruan Qinghuan, a seasoned woman, felt too embarrassed to listen.

She looked at He An inquisitively, and he was also puzzled, when suddenly he thought of something: "Just now, Jiang Qi had thrown the servant who was guarding the courtyard inside, but at the time, the servant was tied up."

Ruan Qinghuan frowned and started patting him down, "Where's the sachet?"

"I used it just now. It might have fallen off when I came down from the roof."

"So, there was an incense smoke trap in the room?"

He An didn't deny it.

Ruan Qinghuan didn't expect the second prince to be so despicable and felt a little frightened. If He An had been inside, his reputation would have been destroyed for good. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but glance at him sideways and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling fortunate.

This mess can only be blamed on Liu Yueru's twisted intentions. Now, she was truly beyond redemption.

The crown prince's face didn't look too good, and the consort coldly said, "Such shameful matters should be dealt with behind closed doors. We shouldn't meddle in the Chen Wang family's business. We should leave."

The crown prince agreed, "The consort speaks wisely. Farewell."

Pretending to be sad, the second prince wasn't in a hurry. If the crown prince didn't want to partake in the drama, there were plenty of others who would.

Moreover, it happened in his courtyard. There were plenty of people who would love to get to the bottom of this.

"Sigh, it's embarrassing to say, but if it weren't for the servant reporting it, I..." The second prince sighed deeply, "Come, open the door and see who is so bold as to commit such a shameful act in broad daylight."

A few servants rushed forward, and the second prince's trusted aide was the first to enter the room, only coming out after waiting inside for a long time.

He had run in the fastest, but came out walking with small, careful steps.

The second prince asked, "Who's inside?"

"It's... it's..."

"Speak quickly."

Startled by the second prince's shout, the servant replied, "It's a servant from the Peach Garden and the younger sister of General Liu."

Those in the hall: "..."

The crown prince and consort: "..."

The consort had been blaming the crown prince for not being vigilant, which led to He An falling into the Chen Wang's trap, but she didn't expect it to actually be a servant from the Peach Garden.

Unlike the crown prince and consort, what puzzled those in the hall even more was that the woman in the room was actually Liu Yueru?

Her reputation in the capital had been growing rapidly. At first, it was because her brother sacrificed his life for the country, and later for her loyalty and unwavering commitment to her impoverished fiancé...

Today, another scandalous incident occurred in the second prince's inner courtyard involving a servant... It's unbelievable.

The one who looked most livid was the second prince. He yanked his trusted confidant aside and growled, "Who’s in there?"

The aide didn’t expect such a major blunder and was so frightened that his legs went weak.

The second prince simply threw the aide aside and ran into the room himself. When he saw the two people on the bed in a compromising position, he was so furious he nearly lost control.

Liu Yueru was clearly out of her senses, and the man wasn’t in any better state, completely overwhelmed by the effects of the drug, not caring even when someone entered the room.

Just as he stepped out, He An and Ruan Qinghuan were approaching.

He An looked puzzled. "My wife and I were taking a stroll nearby. We didn’t realize everyone had been brought here to the second prince’s inner courtyard."

Seeing them, the crown prince and his consort felt a sense of relief. The crown princess couldn’t stand to hear any more of the indecency and said, holding her forehead, "My prince, I feel dizzy and would like to return to the residence earlier."

The crown prince put his arm around his consort and, before leaving, said to the second prince, "Miss Liu is the daughter of a loyal family. Since this incident happened under your roof, Second Prince, Father Emperor will definitely pursue this matter. Think carefully about how you’ll justify this to him."

Once the crown prince and his consort left, the others quickly followed suit, not wanting to linger. It was one thing to be a spectator, but no one wanted to get involved.

He An swayed slightly. "My lord, I am unwell today and will take my leave as well."

After everyone left, the second prince was so angry that he kicked over a flower pot in the courtyard. The sounds coming from the room made him even more irritated. He pointed at his frightened aide, "What are you waiting for? Do you intend to let him continue enjoying himself?"

The aide asked trembling, "My lord, should we... silence him?"

"Silence him? Don’t just silence him—make sure he can never speak again, then throw him in prison. Hand him over to Jingzhao Mansion for interrogation. The charge will be defiling the family member of a loyal subject."

"Yes, Your Highness."

On the way back to the Prime Minister's residence, Ruan Qinghuan remained silent, her eyes fixed on the teapot on the table, but her thoughts seemed to drift far away.

He An closed his eyes and suppressed his discomfort. "What are you thinking about, my lady?"

"This time, you escaped by luck. I'm thinking, since you refuse to be used by the second prince, the trip to Lu City might not be peaceful."

"I neglected the situation with Liu Yueru. I thought keeping her bound would keep things under control, but I didn't expect..."

Ruan Qinghuan met his gaze.

How did he know she was thinking about Liu Yueru?

He An pulled her into his embrace. "Qinghuan, this path was her own choice. If she hadn’t been ill-intentioned, she wouldn’t have ended up in this situation."

"I know. I'm not being naive. I don't like her either. I'm just worried that this might burden you." Ruan Qinghuan lowered her head. "After all, Liu Zhongju had deep ties with you and Ji Lingchuan, but now things have spiraled out of control... and it's too late to fix it."

"Then accept it."

Ruan Qinghuan: "..."

Could he really be so nonchalant about it?

In the original storyline, Liu Yueru had pursued He An for a long time. Although she never won his heart, she refused to give up and eventually became the second prince's kept woman, living outside.

But even that outcome was better than what happened now.

"Cough..." He An suddenly coughed and Ruan Qinghuan looked up, startled. He was bleeding from the nose.

"What's wrong with you? What's uncomfortable? You were perfectly fine just a moment ago, right?" In her panic, she started babbling incoherently and quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his face.

He An didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes changed as he looked at Ruan Qinghuan, turning into... something like a big bad wolf?

Ruan Qinghuan suddenly thought of the kiss under the wall. He An would never have done something like that before. A terrifying thought crossed her mind: "Could it be that you..."

He had just been in the same room as Liu Yueru. If Liu Yueru was affected by that sedative fume, could He An also be under its influence?

The stimulant packet she gave him only works on common sedatives, at best making someone more alert.

"I've been trying to suppress it with my inner strength, but it's not working."

Ruan Qinghuan: "What do we do now? Should we head to a clinic as soon as we get to the capital?"

He An suddenly lifted her onto his lap, causing Ruan Qinghuan's body to stiffen. She could feel the noticeable change in He An's body.

His warm breath grazed her neck, sending shivers down her spine as she instinctively pulled away. His rough voice, laced with allure, whispered, "My dear, shall we return to the villa?"