The pampered and unruly legitimate wife

  In the mountain valley shrouded by clouds and mist, dense forests and lush weeds thrive. Looking up, the towering cliff seems to pierce through the sky, like a fairyland or an illusion. In the valley, a continuous stream of clear water cascades down, irrigating every inch of land, nurturing all living things within the valley.

  At night, the valley was shrouded in blackness, and even the bright stars and moon found it difficult to penetrate this dense forest valley. The deep and secluded valley exuded a thick gloom that sent chills down one's spine.

  Tonight, the tranquility of the valley was broken by someone. A cluster of flames came from the stone cave, adding a few points of eeriness to the valley, and also subtly eliminating some of the chill.

  The man sitting by the fire, roasting his still slightly damp clothes, had a deep and enchanting handsome face that, under the reflection of the flames, lost its usual cold arrogance and took on a hint of emotion it had never shown before, occasionally glancing at the shiny person on the not-too-distant haystack.

  Holding the dried clothes, he walked to the side of the haystack and carefully put each piece on the woman who was sleeping soundly, his movements clumsy but full of tenderness.

  Persuading himself to try not to look at her body, not to be tempted by her unconscious temptation, Xia Lixun looked at the woman's pure and beautiful sleeping face like a child, a kind of heartbeat that had been lost and regained flashed through his heart, and at the same time as he felt heartache and sighed, his gaze gradually softened.

  He had never seen her like this before. Although he was clearly in trouble now, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction in his heart, as if something warm was embracing him, making him feel warmth from head to toe. Even the irritability that had been surrounding him for some time had disappeared...

  He didn't know why he wanted to jump down with her at that moment, he only knew he wanted to hold onto her, tightly holding onto her, even for a lifetime. He wanted her to keep chasing him, he wanted her gaze to continue staying on him, not allowing her to look at any other man, especially not smiling at another man!

  She had never been so gentle with herself before...

  "Lin'er, from now on, no other man is allowed to call your name like that. Whoever dares to do so, I'll kill him!" Holding her soft body and smelling the unfamiliar yet alluring scent on her, Xia Lixun gritted his teeth and whispered in her ear.

  Just thinking about Bai Yu Hao's constant "Lan'er Lan'er" throughout the day made his heart burn with anger.

  A young whippersnapper, actually dares to poach his clients!

  He gently stroked her round, smooth face with the back of his hand, feeling the tender and slippery skin that seemed to still hold a hint of fragrance, making him reluctant to let go. His fingertips slid from the woman's eyebrows to her dry lips, small mouth, and slightly pouted expression, although she had lost her usual rosy color, but the shape was very cute, even... kissable.

  He suddenly swallowed, his Adam's apple rolling with it. It was unclear whether it was the glow of the fire or something else, but the light in his eyes suddenly became somewhat fiery. In his mind, he was still recalling the scene where he had just helped her take off her clothes...

  His lower abdomen tightened, and he inexplicably began to breathe rapidly. His rationality told him to quickly let go of this woman, but for some reason, he instead held her even tighter. Feeling the lingering coolness on her body, he got up and sat down by the fire pit with the person in his arms.

  Afraid of accidentally touching the wound on her back, he adopted a posture that made both of them comfortable - he put her on top of himself with her lying down!

  The wound on her body had cracked open. Fortunately, he went to see her today, otherwise, not to mention the wound on her body, she might have lost her life.

  Yesterday, he accidentally got a bottle of top-grade medicine that heals external injuries. Today, he wanted to send it to her, but unexpectedly ran into the few of them going out for a stroll. Not wanting to be left behind, he followed closely behind them all the way to Nanhu.

  It's all thanks to that bottle of good medicine, otherwise this woman would still be suffering now!

  In the stone cave, accompanied by the crackling sound of burning wood, a man and a woman maintained this extremely suggestive posture until the woman slowly came to.

  Liu Xue Lan didn't know what was going on, she had always felt like it was sweltering around her, so hot that she felt stifled. She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing that entered her line of sight was a strand of black hair. Dazed for an instant, she suddenly turned her head to look, this one glance wasn't casual, shocking her into widening her eyes——

  "What are you doing here?" The cold and hard words flowed out of her dry lips without a hint of warmth.

  As soon as she woke up, Xia Lixun hadn't had time to let out a breath when he suddenly heard her icy cold question, and immediately his face turned cold.

  Smelling the faint scent of mint on the man's body, Liu Xue Lan only then realized that their posture was actually so ambiguous. Under the illumination of the flames, her cheeks were burning hot, and in her large eyes, there was also a hint of anger.

  She almost didn't think much of it and was about to get up with her hands on both sides of the man.

  "Don't move!" Seeing her about to leave, Xia Lixun shouted coldly and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. What kind of expression was this woman wearing? He had saved her, and she didn't even know how to thank him; instead, she looked at him with a face full of disgust and dislike. He wasn't asking her to surrender herself to him, but could she at least speak to him gently?!

  It's not that Liu Xue Lan wanted to be willful and show off in front of him, but the current scene made her feel extremely unexpected. He didn't just jump down from Nan Hu with her, but also maintained this posture together with her. To think that before, even if she touched a single strand of his hair, he would treat her as if she were a fly to be shooed away, and now he's actually hugging her and letting her lean on him...

  Glancing around at the surroundings, it was a narrow stone cave. Outside the cave, everything was pitch black and couldn't be seen, presumably because night had already fallen.

  She turned around and gazed coldly at the man's handsome face, which was now close to her. The once captivating features now seemed like a monster in her eyes, evoking a look of disgust from her.

  "Let go!" Crazy! This must be an illusion! With a burst of strength, she kept twisting and turning to get up, two simple words came out of her mouth, but were full of intense disgust and rejection.

  Xia Li Xun's originally gentle and handsome face suddenly turned dark, but the woman on him, despite being injured, had an unusually strong energy. Afraid that she would tear open her wound again due to struggling, he could only put on a cold face and let her go, personally carrying her to sit on a bundle of dry grass, while he sat down beside her.

  His actions were abnormal in Liu Xue Lan's eyes, so abnormal that they made her heart feel uncomfortable and aching.

  She shifted her buttocks and moved a little further away from him.

  "... Xia Lixun suddenly became angry, how could his pride allow him to tolerate others' disdain and indifference towards himself? His temper immediately flared up, "What's the point of sitting so far away? Must this king eat people or something?"

  "Men and women should maintain a distance!" Liu Xue Lan lowered her head, not even glancing at him, her voice was soft but carried a strong sense of estrangement.

  Upon hearing this, Xia Lixuan's sensual thin lips curled up into a mocking smile: "At the beginning, I didn't know who was eager to get close to me, but now you're pretending not to recognize me?"

  Liu Xue Lan still didn't raise her head, and her tone was even colder: "Sorry, I've already forgotten about what happened in the past. I don't remember having any dealings with you."

  "Liu Xue Lan!" Xia Li Xun's eyes widened, his gaze suddenly sharp and fierce, "You dare to say that again!"

  Damn it! He risked his life to save her, and she doesn't even know how to be grateful. Instead, she says something like this! The things that happened over the years are still vivid in his mind, can she just forget about them by saying so?!

  This time, Liu Xuelan raised her head and looked at him coolly: "I don't know what the King of Fengde means by this. If I'm not mistaken, we're just acquaintances, and can't even be considered friends. What qualifications do you have to yell at me?"

  Xia Lixun's hand on his knee clenched into a fist, and after a brief moment, he took a deep breath. Under Liu Xuelan's indifferent gaze, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand: "I've made up my mind. From now on, I'll allow you to continue following me. Wherever I go, you can also go. As long as I don't despise you, that's enough."

  Upon hearing this, Liu Xue Lan's gaze turned even colder and she withdrew her hand without any hesitation: "Prince Feng De, please restrain yourself. I am now a bride-to-be and have no mood to play games of pursuit with you."

  "Liuxue Lan!" Xia Lihuan growled, his face darkening as he gritted his teeth. He had made himself so clear, yet this woman was still being stubborn with him!

  "I've said it before, I'm tired and don't want to chase anymore. I just want to find a good man who loves me and get married. Your game is not something I can play, forgive me for not being able to accompany you. You should find someone else to play with."

  "... Xia Lixuan's eyes turned red with anger, staring at her fiercely, "Marry? Who to marry? Bai Yuhao? Believe it or not, I'll go back and kill him!"

  He suddenly became fierce and looked at Liu Xue with a stranger's gaze: "Feng De Wang, what do you mean? What does my marriage have to do with you? Even if I don't marry Bai Yu Hao, I will find another man who loves and cherishes me. What does it have to do with you?"

  The man was suddenly so angry that his thin lips were trembling, but he couldn't say a word.

  The two of them stood there like that, his eyes filled with resentment and anger, while Liu Xue Lan's eyes were a calm and icy indifference.

  No one spoke again, the air instantly solidified because of this, in this narrow stone cave, only the sound of burning branches and two deep and shallow breathing sounds could be heard.

  After a long while, Liu Xue Lan withdrew her gaze and subconsciously rubbed her arms. Perhaps because she had been soaked in cold water earlier, now that she was slightly farther away from the fire pit, she felt a chill seep into her bones. Moreover, this stone cave was obviously very damp, and with the help of the firelight, one could clearly see that the stone walls were covered in moss.

  Suddenly a cloak was handed to her, looking at this garment that didn't belong to her, she could still clearly smell the fragrance of mint on it. Liu Xue Lan was stunned for an instant, then her eyes sank and with one swift motion, she flung the cloak onto the withered grass beside her.

  "YOU!" Xia Lixun's face turned completely black. But just as he was about to erupt in anger, a scene suddenly flashed through his mind.

  As he recalled a past scene, he suddenly felt his heart choke, choking to the point where his breathing was somewhat difficult, so much so that speaking became somewhat stuttering.

  "I'm sorry."

  He apologized for his actions on that day.

  He knew that perhaps it was on that day that his indifference made her give up the pursuit of so many years, completely excluding him from her heart.

  Having understood all this, he suddenly leaned over and hugged her tightly.

  This time, Liu Xue Lan did not struggle. She seemed to feel his strength and was also afraid of aggravating the injury on her back. She let him hold her tightly, but the coldness on her face deepened.

  Capital City

  Xia Gaolong's face turned red with rage.

  The recent succession of assassinations had made the fire in his heart uncontrollable, and when he heard that Xia Lixuan had jumped off a cliff, he let out an unstoppable roar, scaring the officials who rushed to the scene into trembling with fear, while the palace maids and eunuchs around him all knelt down on the ground.

  "How can this be! In our Shu-Han state, there are actually such madmen who dare to commit robbery and murder in broad daylight!"

  " Investigate! Have them thoroughly investigated! If these rebels are not found, it will be hard to dispel the hatred in my heart! How can I be the ruler of this country?"

  "Ryūgū Yutaka!"

  Xia Gao scolded for a while and suddenly called out someone's name.

  Liu Boyu was heartbroken over his daughter's situation and barely heard Xia Gaofei's angry words, thinking only of his daughter's life and death. It wasn't until a minister next to him secretly nudged him that he came back to his senses, collected the grief on his face, and hastily stood up to respectfully reply:

  Your humble servant is present.

  Xia Gao looked at him, his majestic appearance evident: "I heard that this hijacking incident was caused by your adopted daughter. Now that your adopted daughter and Feng De Wang have fallen off the cliff together, I suppose you are as furious as I am. As the Kyoto Prefectural Governor, there is such a villain in the capital city, you cannot shirk responsibility. I order you to immediately send someone to investigate, and it is essential to find out who is behind this and bring them to me. If you do so, it will be considered that you have redeemed yourself!"

  Liu Boyu was already resentful of the news about his daughter, and he was thinking about how to catch the murderer when Xia Gao handed over the case to him. Suddenly, he became excited and quickly knelt down to receive the order:

  "Your Majesty, please be at ease, I will definitely investigate these scoundrels and the ones behind them."

  Although he had no confidence in his heart at the moment and didn't even know where to start, a woman's words suddenly flashed into his mind, filling him with hope for the next investigation.

  Long live the queen!

  She must know something! Last time Linger got hurt, she said it was her fault for dragging Linger into her personal vendetta.

  And in both cases, Princess Jing was present at the scene...

  Xia Gao finished instructing Liu Boyu and shifted his gaze towards the man who had been as expressionless as a sheet of ice.

  "Did you receive any news from the king?"

  "In response to Your Majesty's words, people have already been sent to search and it is believed that there will be news by tomorrow at the latest. Please rest assured, Prince Gongde and Miss Liu are both skilled in martial arts, so they should not be in any danger."

  Upon hearing this, Xia Gao's expression finally eased up a bit. He swept his gaze over the crowd of officials, and suddenly felt annoyed.

  "Let Wang stay behind, and everyone else withdraw."

  "Yes, we retreat." Everyone retreated in unison. Facing the emperor who was furious, no one wanted to stay and be a scapegoat.

  Now that King Fengde has fallen into trouble, his whereabouts are unknown and his life and death are uncertain. People have begun to secretly calculate in their hearts - if King Fengde can come back alive, it's fine; but if King Fengde encounters difficulties because of this, shouldn't they make arrangements for their own future prospects in advance?

  Can the crown prince be reinstated after being deposed?

  After all, who should they support now?

  After all the officials left, Xia Gao took me to the imperial study with the decree.

  "Cheng Wang, I ask you, what is your view on this matter?" Without outsiders present, Xia Gao's face turned serious as he asked directly.

  He doesn't believe this son knows nothing!

  That Crown Prince has been attacked twice, will he not take any action at all?

  Standing in front of Xia Gao, Yan Mo's eyes only flickered slightly, and his cold face remained as calm as ice.

  "As for what Your Majesty said, I know nothing about it."

  Upon hearing this, Xia Gaoli coldly glared at him: "How much longer do you want to cover up for him? Are you going to let him do as he pleases and kill all of you before you're willing to turn him in?"

  Yan Mo's brush suddenly trembled, and he looked up to meet Xia Gao's angry face, with a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

  Seeing him finally react, Xia Gao snorted: "Do you really think that I am old and confused and don't know anything?"

  Finally, he suddenly sat on the dragon chair, and a painful expression appeared on his majestic face. "I had guessed it was him long ago. I didn't say anything, just abolished his position as crown prince, wanting to give him one more chance. But unexpectedly... how could he bring himself to do this? I am his father! Prince Gongde may be incompetent, but he is still his brother! In vain have I spent my life governing the country and loving the people, thinking myself a wise ruler. Yet it turns out that the son I gave birth to is such a beast, capable of committing patricide and fratricide... I govern the world, yet can't even control one son!"

  In the end, Xia Gao's eyes were slightly red.

  At Luyun Mountain, he encountered a trap. At that time, he thought it was the trick of King Feng De's bitter flesh, but later on, thinking about it, King Feng De was arrogant and self-centered, and the trick of bitter flesh was not his style at all.

  Later, when he was ambushed on the way, he guessed who it was. Except for the crown prince in the court, the other two sons were by his side. Who else could arrange the assassination as meticulously and thoroughly as this?

  Now that his crown prince position has been abolished, he will definitely point the spearhead at King Pongdeok. For him, only by getting rid of King Pongdeok can he possibly turn over... Does he think this emperor doesn't understand?

  He pressed his thin lips together, but still didn't open his mouth.

  Xia Gao's fist slammed onto the dragon case in anguish: "You say, must I really take my own son's life with my own hands?"

  "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to find Prince Gongde first. Since Your Majesty is clear about who is behind all this, it's even more necessary to be cautious and prepared. I dare not help you make a decision!" He said with his head bowed down, Yan Mo speaking in a deep voice.

  He believed that without him taking action, someone would naturally deal with that person. He had no intention of competing for the throne, and since they wanted to compete, he definitely wouldn't join in. As for whether the emperor wanted that person's life, it was none of his concern.

  As long as it doesn't harm him and those he cares about.

  ……

  Heir to the Imperial Palace

  Qiu Shi had just moved back to Cheng Wang Fu and hadn't even had time to be happy when she received news from Sheng Zi Yang about the fall of Feng De Wang. This joyful news made her celebrate with Sheng Zi Yang in their room for an entire afternoon and night.

  The crown prince was deposed, and King Pongdeok fell off a cliff. The two grown sons of Queen Yuhwa had both met with misfortune, which meant that her days of wealth and glory were approaching. How could she not be excited?

  She had originally planned to move back to Cheng Wang Fu and then enter the palace, but after learning of Feng De Wang's fall from the cliff, she immediately dispelled her intention to enter the palace.

  She knew that Xia Gao was definitely in a bad mood now, and going to see him at this time would not bring much benefit. And if she were to ask about the matter of when the identity of the Crown Prince would be made public, Xia Gao would definitely be dissatisfied with her, and might even suspect her intentions.

  So, before Yan Mo Yu and Bai Xin Ran returned to the Wang Fu, she was happy to entangle with Sheng Zi Yang all day long, enjoying the pleasures that only women could have, while looking forward to her beautiful tomorrow.

  ……

  University Mansion

  Bai Yuhao was sent back to the White House by Mo Yu, and He Lan heard the news for the first time and rushed to her grandson's room.

  Looking at the scars on Bai Yu's neck, He Lan was both heartbroken and tearfully scolding a certain evil woman who had harmed her grandson.

  "Hao'er, why are you so stupid? Why do you insist on being with that woman? Look at the state she's gotten you into! Not only is she promiscuous outside, but she also seduced you and nearly got you killed. She's a total femme fatale, you must never associate with her again!"

  Upon hearing He Lan's words, Bai Yu Hao furrowed his brow and quickly defended Liu Xue Lan: "Grandmother, you're being overly cautious, Han'er didn't harm me, she saved me. If it weren't for her, I'm afraid I wouldn't have made it back by now. How can you say such things about her?"

  Upon hearing this, He Lan's face turned cold and she scolded: "At a time like this, you're still speaking up for that demoness. Are you trying to infuriate your grandmother to death? You are the only root of our White family, how can you marry such a woman as your wife? She hasn't even entered our household yet, but has already harmed you so much. If she were to enter our White family, wouldn't it be even more unbearable for us? Don't you ever think about it, if because of her having some sort of affair, what would happen to our White family? How can your grandmother have the face to see the ancestors of our White family?"

  Bai Yuhao's face looked a bit ugly. But facing this grandmother who had always been aggressive, he didn't know what to say for the time being. He could only cast his eyes at his mother, Zhang Shi, as if seeking help.

  Mrs. Zhang nodded in agreement and gently advised Mrs. He, "Mother, you're being a bit too serious. Father said he's met Miss Liu before and thinks she's quite suitable for Hao'er. Although there are rumors that Miss Liu has a bad temper, after all, she's the daughter of a high-ranking official family, so it's normal to have some small flaws. According to Hao'er, they've gotten along pretty well these days. Now that Hao'er is grown up, he can tell right from wrong, so just let him make his own decisions."

  Upon hearing this, He Lan's expression turned stern as she glared at Zhang Shi: "How dare you! Are you implying that I'm so old I can no longer distinguish right from wrong? Is this how you behave as a mother? You're not even concerned about your own son's affairs; it's clear you're indulging his misbehavior! If something happens to him, will you be able to face the White family for all they've given you? Will you be able to face our ancestors?"

  Seeing Zhang's scolding, Bai Yuhao furrowed his brow and became somewhat anxious: "Grandmother, Mother is doing this for my own good, how can you blame her? If you continue to be unreasonable like this, I'll get angry."

  He Lan was so angry that she let go of the maid's supporting hand, sat down on a chair and began to wipe away tears. She cried with great grievance: "Grandmother thinks of everything for your sake, but now that you're grown up, you don't understand things and are not filial to Grandmother. It's okay if you don't respect Grandmother, but now you've joined forces with your mother to scold Grandmother. All of you have become so arrogant and none of you put me in your eyes. Now, for the sake of that woman, you won't even listen to Grandmother's words... Why is my life so bitter? You're all trying to drive me to death!"

  Zhang's eyebrows furrowed, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, and she ultimately chose to remain silent.

  Bai Yuhao's chest rose and fell, unsure of what to do next.

  With less than two months to go before the wedding, his grandmother repeatedly opposed this marriage. But what's more important is that Lian'er has gone missing and his life or death is still uncertain, he had lost all sense of direction a long time ago.

  Thinking of the figure of Cang Er jumping off the cliff, he felt even more...

  ……

  In another courtyard, Bai Xincheng and others waited until nightfall for Yan Mo to return from the palace.

  Seeing the man's gloomy face, she felt uncomfortable in her heart too.

  "What did His Majesty say?"

  He gently shook his head and led her to the soft couch where they sat side by side, only then did he say a sentence: "Nothing's wrong, you don't have to worry."

  Bai Xin let out a sigh of relief. How could she not be worried?

  Something big happened, and they are the most responsible couple. If they hadn't gone to Nanhu Lake, it wouldn't have happened!

  "Mò yú, won't you let me go find them?"

  "No way." Yan Mo refused without hesitation. He would rather take the risk himself than let her go! Seeing the worry and unease written all over the woman's face, he pulled Bai Xincheng into his arms and gently coaxed, "Don't worry, I've sent people who have received special training to search for him. They are much more skilled than ordinary guards. Believe me, they will find him soon. Just wait calmly for news."

  Bai Xin furrowed her brow and reluctantly accepted his words. Suddenly thinking of something, she asked: "And what about Lord Liu? How is he?"

  It's going to be tough for him to part with his daughter, judging from how much he dotes on her.

  He moistened his thin lips, then said: "The Emperor ordered Lord Liu to thoroughly investigate the assassination and kidnapping case. At this moment, Lord Liu is probably busy investigating everywhere, so he doesn't have time to be heartbroken."

  Upon hearing this, Bai Xin's eyebrows furrowed even tighter. Is there still a need to investigate? Those black-clad men who were caught have all confessed!

  Even if we investigate and find out that Fu De Wang is at fault, as long as the Emperor wants to protect him, everything will be fine, and it will all blow over with a gust of wind.

  That night, neither of them slept well. Before dawn the next day, Yan Mo rose and got out of bed. Bai Xinzhuang hadn't had a good sleep all night, so when she saw him get up, she also got out of bed to follow him.

  "It's still early, why are you getting up so early with your husband? Their matter will have news today, just wait patiently." After dressing up, looking at the woman who got out of bed and dressed, Yan Mo Yu hastily hugged her back to bed.

  Bai Xin furrowed her brow: "You'll be gone for a whole day at the palace, and I'll be anxious at home. Why don't you just take me to the palace with you?"

  Yan Mo looked at the fatigue on her face and immediately refused: "I will return after the morning court, I won't stay in the palace for long, you listen to me, stay at home and wait for me."

  Unable to withstand his overbearing manner, Bai Xinzhi could only watch as he left through the door.

  After daybreak, she couldn't resist her drowsiness and fell asleep. When it was almost noon, she had just gotten out of bed when she heard Xue Ying's calm and unhurried report:

  "Your Highness, Madame He has arrived and requests an audience with you."

  "Mrs. He?" Bai Xin's brain was still a bit dizzy and she didn't quite understand what was going on.

  The expressionless Blood Shadow explained: "It's Second Miss Bai."

  Upon hearing this, Bai Xin furrowed her brow: "What did she come for and when did she arrive?"

  "As for what Princess Wang said, she just said she had something to discuss with you and came as soon as it got light."

  Bai Xin's face turned red as she bit her lip: "......?!" So they had been waiting for her for a whole morning?!

  What great thing can make this thousand gold young lady so patient?

  Digression

  Re-announce Lingzi's group number [4981969], there is really everything in the group!