He Was Smitten!

In a corner of the pavilion, Imperial Uncle Xiao rolled on the ground like a dead pig.

"Pfft...!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood, with two molars mixed in.

His cheek swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He remained stunned for several full seconds.

"Ah... you... you dared hit me!"

Imperial Uncle Xiao practically shrieked, unable to believe it.

Granted, he too was an ordinary man with no cultivation.

But he was the imperial uncle, and his sister was the most favored noble consort in the palace, with a chance of becoming empress.

His lineage, the Xiao Lineage, was also one of Great Li's foremost lineages.

As a legitimate son of the Xiao Lineage, he had been showered with every imaginable favor since birth.

He had always been the one throwing his weight around and bullying others.

No one had ever dared offend him, much less slap him outright.

Beside him, Zhang You only recovered his senses a moment later and hurried forward, leaning on his cane.

He pointed at Gu Chenfeng and rebuked him with righteous indignation.

"Gu Chenfeng, how dare you!

The imperial uncle merely had too much to drink and exchanged a few words with you, yet you dared assault a member of the imperial family. You're utterly lawless!

I'll report you to the Ministry of Justice, to the Court of Judicial-"

"Thud!"

Zhang You was still spraying spittle, his speech unfinished.

Gu Chenfeng suddenly lashed out with a kick, striking the thigh that was still healing.

"Crack!"

"Ah...!"

Caught off guard by the kick to his injury, Zhang You tumbled to the ground, clutching his thigh as he screamed and wailed.

"Ah... my hip... it's broken again!"

Gu Chenfeng sneered disdainfully.

"Hmph. Since the imperial uncle is drunk, then I, Gu Chenfeng, am drunk today too!"

He had just been fretting over having no opportunity to deal with these two pieces of trash.

Now that they had thrust their faces within reach, why wouldn't he hit them?

Even if things blew up, it would amount to nothing more than a drunken brawl between two wastrels.

Imperial Uncle Xiao had never expected Gu Chenfeng to be so brazen.

Clutching his bleeding mouth, he roared, "Gu Chenfeng, I'm the imperial uncle!

My sister is a noble consort, and I'm a son of the Xiao Lineage. How dare you treat me this way!"

Gu Chenfeng sneered, stepped forward, and seized Imperial Uncle Xiao by the collar, looking down at him with an icy gaze.

"So what if you're the imperial uncle? You're exactly who I'm hitting!

If you have a problem with it, send your Xiao Lineage to argue with my father or my grandfather."

Although the Xiao Lineage was also one of the Imperial Capital's foremost clans,

whether in influence, achievements, or strength,

the Gu Lineage was no weaker than the Xiao Lineage-only stronger.

Had nothing happened to Old Master Gu, Imperial Uncle Xiao might not have dared bare his teeth at him today.

Imperial Uncle Xiao froze.

Gu Chenfeng took the hand of the dazed Su Wanyue beside him and strode out of the pavilion.

"We're going home!"

The guards from the Prime Minister's Residence hastened after them, escorting the pair away.

Only when he saw Gu Chenfeng leave so nonchalantly did Imperial Uncle Xiao snap out of his stupor and roar orders at his men.

"Don't let them leave! Stop them!"

"Enough!"

At that moment, a woman's sharp rebuke rang out from the pavilion.

"Imperial Uncle, you have some nerve.

In my presence, you dare act so recklessly, using your status as imperial uncle to bully others?"

Princess Yaoyin's lovely face was frosty, and an air of imperial nobility radiated naturally from her.

Imperial Uncle Xiao's heart lurched at her words.

Although, by blood, he was Princess Yaoyin's own maternal uncle,

they were not far apart in age, and she had spent most of her life in the palace, with little affection for him.

He might be the imperial uncle, but she was a princess, and one dearly favored by His Majesty.

"Your Highness, I... your subject wouldn't dare."

"Hmph. If I learn that you've used your ties to the imperial family to run wild again,

I will report this to my imperial father and have you punished."

Imperial Uncle Xiao shuddered in fright and hastily bowed.

"Your Highness, I... I know I was wrong."

Inwardly, however, he cursed.

Why is this princess siding with outsiders? I'm your uncle! Someone slapped me so hard he knocked my teeth out.

Instead of standing up for me, why are you reprimanding me?

Gu Chenfeng, just you wait. This isn't over!

Princess Yaoyin gave a soft snort, not bothering to spare Imperial Uncle Xiao another glance.

She looked toward the far end of the Golden Kylin Gathering's grounds.

Gu Chenfeng's retreating figure gradually disappeared into the crowd as he led Su Wanyue away.

At that moment, her feelings were incredibly complicated.

In the short span of a single month,

Gu Chenfeng's image in her mind had undergone an almost earth-shaking transformation.

Ever since falling off the cliff at Great Wilderness Ridge, Gu Chenfeng had been unusually cold toward her.

He no longer pestered her and tried to please her in every possible way.

Princess Yaoyin had initially been secretly delighted to finally be free.

Yet she had then seen Gu Chenfeng repay Ouyang Cai's debt through beast fighting at the Rare Beast Garden.

He had composed a poem for Shangguan Bingxin and given her a Silvermoon Demon Wolf cub.

And today, she had witnessed him with her own eyes,

single-handedly taking on the empire's great scholars and the talents of the Imperial Academy.

With one poem and one lyric, he had revealed astonishing talent, dispelling rumors and bringing honor to the Gu Lineage.

Princess Yaoyin suddenly felt that Gu Chenfeng was a stranger.

So unfamiliar that it seemed she had never known him at all.

That's right. The old Gu Chenfeng had eyes and thoughts only for me, but when did I ever truly look at him?

Then she recalled how Gu Chenfeng had just stood up for Su Wanyue.

He had slapped the imperial uncle and kicked the minister's son.

His methods had plainly been those of a violent wastrel, and the man he had struck was her own uncle.

Yet, for some reason, this had moved Princess Yaoyin more deeply than anything else.

That woman was merely a courtesan, yet he had flown into a crown-lifting rage for her beauty, refusing to let her suffer the slightest injustice.

Perhaps he would once have done all of this for me too.

A forlorn sense of loss filled her heart.

Princess Yaoyin felt as though she had thrown away something important.

Meanwhile, in another pavilion,

as an onlooker,

the Third Prince had witnessed Gu Chenfeng's entire performance that day.

The wine in his cup rippled as he swirled it, and a trace of surprise appeared on his handsome face.

"Everyone in the Imperial Capital says Gu Chenfeng is a useless wastrel. Having seen him today, I can tell he's no ordinary man.

A pity. With intelligence but no cultivation, he'll still find it difficult to shoulder the Gu Lineage's legacy."

By now, Gu Chenfeng had led Su Wanyue through the crowds in the square and was heading toward the estate's main gate.

"Thank you."

Su Wanyue suddenly spoke.

Gu Chenfeng turned in surprise, meeting her bright, captivating eyes.

A light veil covered Su Wanyue's face, but her eyes seemed able to speak.

Her gaze held gratitude, emotion, and even a hint of tender affection.

Under that gaze, Gu Chenfeng's heart tightened.

Su Wanyue, meanwhile, was secretly delighted.

Today, for her sake, Gu Chenfeng had not hesitated to strike the imperial uncle and invoke the entire Gu Lineage against him.

She had to admit that the moment Gu Chenfeng struck, she had genuinely felt a little moved.

She had even thought he looked rather handsome.

But Su Wanyue checked her emotions in time and did not let them go to her head.

Instead, she calmly analyzed the situation. It seemed her plan had been very successful.

Gu Chenfeng had already developed a strong desire to protect and possess her, refusing to let anyone else lay a finger on her.

Possessiveness and protectiveness-that was the beginning of love.

She had complete control now. Next, she needed to find a way

to make him fall further, unsettle his mind, and turn him to her use!

As Su Wanyue pondered, her eyes continued sending sparks, unleashing her charm on Gu Chenfeng.

After a moment's surprise, Gu Chenfeng roughly guessed what was going through her mind.

So he released the hand he had been holding.

But in the next instant, he suddenly stepped forward and raised both hands.

Before Su Wanyue could react, Gu Chenfeng's fingers slipped past her silken hair.

He cupped her cheeks and abruptly leaned closer.

In an instant, their faces were mere inches apart.

Gu Chenfeng could sense the faint fragrance of orchids and musk on Su Wanyue's breath.

He could even hear her heartbeat suddenly quicken.

"You..."

Su Wanyue grew a little nervous and instinctively tried to pull away from Gu Chenfeng.

She feared that his emotions had overwhelmed him and he wanted to kiss her.

But Gu Chenfeng merely tightened his hands slightly around her face.

He made no further move.

He only gazed intently at her and spoke each word distinctly.

"Su Wanyue, remember this-if the wind in the Imperial Capital dares ruffle even a corner of your clothes, I'll overturn the heavens!

You are my woman, Gu Chenfeng's woman, even if it's only a temporary pretense.

I won't allow anyone to touch a single hair on your head."

With that, Gu Chenfeng released Su Wanyue and turned toward the carriage outside the main gate.

By now, dusk was approaching.

The setting sun used its last lingering rays to illuminate the man's retreating figure.

He shone almost hot enough to burn!

Su Wanyue stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly after him.

He... is he confessing his love to me?

Su Wanyue instinctively assumed this was the result of her seduction plan reaching a successful milestone.

Her prey had taken the bait completely. He was smitten with her!

But why am I breathing so fast? My cheeks are burning, and my heart is racing too.

"Hey, time to go home!"

Gu Chenfeng stood beside the carriage.

He turned back, the sunset lighting up his handsome, warm smile.

"Oh...!"

The "hunter," Su Wanyue, nodded dazedly and hurried after him, like a kitten being led along by her owner.