Ambush at Ning Yuanfeng

"Since my original etiquette teacher has retired to their hometown and I haven't studied in quite some time, why doesn't the Lady come into the palace to instruct me? I believe the Emperor would have no objections."

Ye Yang watched Tang Yuehua with a faint smile.

Tang Yuehua opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her throat as if blocked; not a single word could be uttered.

Refuse? The person before her was the Crown Prince of the current dynasty. If she refused, it would be an open act of contempt for the Imperial family, and it would shatter the reputation of the Moon Pavilion's "education without discrimination"!

Agree? That would mean she would have to face this inscrutable Crown Prince for a long time to come.

Immense humiliation, anger, and a sense of powerlessness instantly overwhelmed Tang Yuehua.

In the end, she only stared fixedly at Ye Yang, her face as pale as snow, her body trembling slightly like a candle flickering in the wind.

Ye Yang, meanwhile, took his time admiring her dejected and trapped appearance, a playful smile curling the corners of his lips.

Time ticked away bit by bit, and Tang Yuehua's expression shifted several times—struggle, anger, helplessness...

"That's enough."

Ye Yang's voice, carrying a hint of lazy magnetism, finally sounded, breaking the suffocating silence.

The mockery on his face deepened slightly, and he leaned back, as if he had just finished enjoying a brilliant pantomime.

"Look how nervous you've made yourself, Lady." He chuckled, the sound appearing exceptionally clear and grating in the quiet room. "I was merely joking."

Tang Yuehua lifted her eyes abruptly, looking at him in shock and suspicion, as if she could not believe her own ears.

The sudden release of tension did not bring relief, but rather a deeper sense of dizziness and collapse, making her almost unable to stand steady.

A joke? That aggressive posture from just moments ago, the intent laid bare, the pressure that had nearly pushed her to the edge of a cliff... all just a joke?

"The Mistress of the Moon Pavilion, the eldest daughter of the Clear Sky Sect," Ye Yang stood up leisurely and strolled to the window, turning his back to her. He cast his gaze toward the bamboo and flowing water in the courtyard, his tone carrying a condescending casualness.

"With your noble status and unparalleled talent, how could I truly force you to do such menial tasks that would lower your dignity?"

"However," he shifted his tone, his voice dropping lower with an unquestionable weight, "regarding today's events, I hope the Lady understands two things."

Tang Yuehua's heart rose again, and she held her breath, focusing her attention.

"First," Ye Yang extended a slender finger and pointed it vaguely, "in this vast Heaven Dou City, there is nowhere I cannot go, and no one I cannot 'joke' with."

"The Lady happened to be here today, and I appreciate the gesture. But next time, if someone else without eyes bumps into me... whether they are from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect or some other stray cat or dog..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Tang Yuehua's pale face like a sharp blade. "My patience may not always be as good as it is today."

"The Lady's Moon Pavilion is a place of tranquility; surely you wouldn't want it stained with too much blood and filth, would you?"

"Second," Ye Yang took a step forward, closing the distance to within a single pace of Tang Yuehua.

He leaned down slightly, close to her ear, and said slowly in a voice only the two of them could hear: "The Lady's character, this... charm of yours, truly left a deep impression on me."

"Your heart is in the Pavilion? Heh, I look forward to the day when this heart of yours truly begins to beat... for me."

His gaze lingered wantonly on her chest, which rose and fell slightly from tension, and her face, which she was forcing to remain calm, filled with aggression and undisguised possessiveness.

"Although the tea was not tasted today, being able to see the Lady in such a... moving state was not a wasted trip."

[Ding! Intimidated Tang Yuehua, Majesty +1, Mental Power +1]

[Ding! Flirted with Tang Yuehua, Charm +1]

As his voice fell, Ye Yang stopped looking at her face, which had instantly drained of all color—a mix of shame and anger she dared not unleash—and laughed heartily before turning to leave.

"No need to see me out, Lady. Have a good... rest."

He walked with a composed gait, passing straight through the quiet room and pushing open the door.

The silent guard followed behind him like a shadow.

Tang Yuehua stood stiffly in place, listening to the footsteps as they receded, eventually vanishing at the end of the Moon Pavilion's corridor.

Only when she confirmed he had truly left did her tense body sway violently. Unable to support herself any longer, she stumbled and gripped the edge of the cold sandalwood tea table.

"Thump!"

She collapsed back onto the cushion, her chest heaving violently as she gasped for air, as if she had just struggled back from the brink of drowning.

Her forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and the clothes on her back were soaked through, clinging to her skin and bringing a series of chills.

Those eyes, usually as calm as a deep pool, were now filled with lingering fear, unspeakable humiliation, and... a trace of profound dread and lingering terror.

She looked at the shattered teacup on the floor and the messy tea stains on the table, then looked down at her own pale green palace gown—which she had changed into, yet seemed to still retain the tactile sensation of his gaze. An unprecedented sense of powerlessness and coldness gripped her.

This Crown Prince... he was not some gentle, jade-like, benevolent heir at all! He was a ferocious beast wearing a human skin!

She did not doubt that if he wanted to, he could tear apart her prideful composure and the Moon Pavilion's aloofness at any moment.

The status of the Clear Sky Sect's eldest daughter seemed so pale in the face of his unfathomable power and the authority of the Empire's heir.

Tang Yuehua slowly closed her eyes, her graceful body still trembling slightly.

This unexpected encounter today had completely shattered all her previous perceptions of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.

And she, along with the Moon Pavilion, and even the Clear Sky Sect—how were they to conduct themselves in the presence of this inscrutable and ruthless Crown Prince?

The night was as dark as ink, and the bustling lights of Heaven Dou City faded into the distance behind them. Ning Yuanfeng and several companions stumbled along the secluded path leading to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's villa.

"Brother Feng, will the Crown Prince... really let us go?" A companion's voice trembled as he kept glancing back over his shoulder.

"Shut up!" Ning Yuanfeng growled irritably, his face deathly pale. "He said 'noted' right in front of Tang Yuehua—that was a warning! As long as we keep our heads down..."

Before he could finish, several ghostly black shadows suddenly leaped down from the eaves on both sides!

"Who's there?!" Terrified, Ning Yuanfeng summoned his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in an instant, two yellow spirit rings lighting up.

However, the attackers were faster—all five of them had five spirit rings swirling beneath their feet!

Blinding yellow and purple light exploded into the night, and the terrifying pressure of five Spirit Kings descended like a physical cage, instantly pinning Ning Yuanfeng and his companions to the spot!

"Who are you?! We are direct disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!" Ning Yuanfeng shrieked, attempting to use his sect's name to intimidate them.

The masked leader let out a hoarse sneer, his eyes gleaming with a chilling light: "It's precisely the people of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect that we're here to kill!"