Inside and outside the pavilion, everyone's attention was focused on the two of them.
Silence reigned. Ning Cheng's face and hair were covered in wine, his expression as splendid as one could imagine. Still, not everyone was looking at him, because many of them were staring at Han Yunxi in disbelief. For example, Chu Yunyi and General Chu. Long Fei Ye, on the other hand, was looking at Ning Cheng with a mocking smile.
Han Yunxi wasn't very tall, so she looked even more petite next to the two men who were around 1.9 meters tall. Still, her aura didn't lose out to any of the men's.
At this moment, her icy eyes were filled with anger and disdain. In any case, she was angry.
She was already anxious to leave because of Gu Beiyue's injuries, but Ning Cheng's words had clearly angered her.
At this moment, the stunned Ning Cheng moved. He slowly wiped the wine from his face as he narrowed his eyes at Han Yunxi.
He didn't say anything, but all the guards in the surroundings, whether out in the open or in the dark, came forward and surrounded the pavilion tightly. There were a total of three circles: one circle of archers, one circle of soldiers, and one circle of black-clothed experts.
"Han Yunxi, you dare!" Ning Cheng's icy voice was filled with towering rage. His knuckles cracked as he clenched them so tightly that they seemed ready to strike at any moment.
But Han Yunxi wasn't afraid at all. In fact, she was even angrier than him. "Ning Cheng, this cup of wine is for you to wash your face. It's to remind you not to be so shameless! Don't think no one can tell just because you used Distiller's Grain # 7 to cheat! "
Ning Cheng's anger abated at her words. This woman … this woman actually saw through it?
Distiller's Grain # 7 wasn't poison or medicine, but a rare auxiliary ingredient for wine. Very few people in the world knew about it, so how could a woman like Han Yunxi know?
Moreover, she didn't drink the wine, so how could she tell?
While Ning Cheng was puzzled, Han Yunxi added, "Also, don't think that no one knows that you took the antidote in advance! Do you even know how to write the words' obscene 'and' shameless'? "
"You!" Ning Cheng fumed. His handsome face couldn't get any darker.
"What about me? Am I wrong? "Han Yunxi raised her eyebrows and asked.
Ning Cheng wanted to answer, but he couldn't. There was indeed distiller's grain number seven in the wine. Han Yunxi was right. He looked at Han Yunxi, his fists clenched tighter and tighter, but he had nothing to say.
He had never been humiliated like this in his entire life, not to mention being scolded and condemned by a woman to his face. Although his expression was cold, his heart was filled with helplessness.
Ever since he'd taken control of Cloud Realm Trade Consortium and the Di Clan, he'd faced all sorts of situations, but never had he been so helpless before.
Han Yunxi didn't want to waste words with a man like him, much less waste her time. Without another word, she turned to leave.
At this moment, Chu Yunyi spoke up. "Han Yunxi, you're a shameless woman! You say the Duke of Ning cheated, but what about you? Do you think we didn't see that needle of yours just then? "
Han Yunxi snorted with laughter. She pulled out the needle from Long Fei Ye's back and tossed it on the table. "I was just helping the Duke of Qin cure his drunkenness! If Ning Cheng hadn't cheated first, why would I need to cure my drunkenness? Also, it's fine if Ning Cheng cheated. Such little tricks are nothing to me or the Duke of Qin! But he had the audacity to say the Duke of Qin was afraid of losing? And he was so sure he'd win? "
Han Yunxi paused to look at Ning Cheng again, her lips curling into a sneer that was enough to disdain anyone. "Does he still have any face left?"
Ning Cheng wasn't planning to refute Han Yunxi in the first place, but Chu Yunyi's words had earned him another round of scolding. His expression was as foul as it could get.
Meanwhile, Chu Yunyi realized that he'd done more harm than good. Resentful, he didn't dare to speak again.
"Birds of a feather flock together!"
Long Fei Ye chuckled without a word. He took Han Yunxi's hand and turned to leave.
The three guards surrounding them hadn't received Ning Cheng's orders, so they didn't move aside. But when Long Fei Ye and Han Yunxi drew closer, they didn't have the guts to stop them. All they could do was back away.
Long Fei Ye wouldn't allow anyone to stop him on his path. He hadn't taken more than a few steps when he raised his sword. In a flash, all the guards were on guard. The archers and black-robed assassins raised their swords as if they were facing a formidable foe.
But before they could make a move, Ning Cheng roared in irritation, "Get out of the way! All of you, get out of the way for your lordship! "
Hearing this, all the guards exhaled in relief. None of them wanted to fight with the Duke of Qin.
As soon as the guards moved aside, Tang Li supported Gu Beiyue to join them. Long Fei Ye and Han Yunxi left without a backward glance.
Inside and outside the pavilion, it was still as quiet and tense as ever. Ning Cheng Coldly stared at Han Yunxi and the rest as they left. He didn't move a muscle, his thoughts unclear. In any case, his arrogant face was filled with an unapproachable aura.
But there was one person very close to Ning Cheng. It was the same person who'd coughed lightly to remind Ning Cheng. His name was Di Shu. He was Ning Cheng's personal retainer. Because he had the skills to help Ning Cheng collect all sorts of fine wines from all over the world, he was favored. His original surname was Wang, but he later changed it to Di to show his loyalty. He was the one who'd told Ning Cheng to use Distiller's Grains # 7, which he'd also found.
"Master, Empress Dowager Chu is still waiting in the woods," Di Shu reminded him in a low voice.
That's right, Chu Qingge had come as well. She'd made a lot of trouble with Ning Cheng over the past few days and insisted on coming along. She wanted Ning Cheng to seize the chance to take down Han Yunxi.
Although Di Shu had found Distiller's Grains # 7, it was Chu Qingge's idea. She wanted to take advantage of the Duke of Qin's drunken stupor to teach Han Yunxi a lesson.
Ning Cheng was still in a fit of anger when he heard the words' Empress Dowager Chu. 'His temper flared as he viciously kicked Di Shu out of the pavilion. The man tumbled out of the pavilion and flipped a few times before coming to a stop.
That wasn't enough for Ning Cheng to vent his anger. He kicked over the table and strode out of the pavilion. Instantly, everyone made way for him, afraid of being caught in the crossfire of his anger.
Ning Cheng didn't target anyone, but kept looking in the direction Han Yunxi and the rest had left. Everyone was in disbelief. Was the Duke of Ning really going to let the matter rest after being splashed with wine? That's impossible!
By now, her petite figure had turned into a blur, but Ning Cheng continued to stare and stare.
Actually, he hadn't planned to do anything to Long Fei Ye in a drinking contest. Even he disdained using such a method to win against Long Fei Ye.
He simply wanted to buy some time for Chu Qingge so she could settle accounts with Han Yunxi on her own. That way, he wouldn't have to be bothered every day.
Seeing Han Yunxi's retreating form, Ning Cheng felt an impulse to run over and explain things to her. He disdained the idea as his lips curved up into a scornful smile.
He wiped his face again and licked the wine off his fingers. After a while, he muttered to himself, "Long Fei Ye, heheh. You have good eyes! Just wait, your lordship will have a real drinking contest with you one day! "
Soon enough, Chu Qingge emerged from the woods after receiving the news.
She had endured for so long to see Long Fei Ye, all for the sake of Ning Cheng's good news. Who knew that Ning Cheng would let Han Yunxi and Long Fei Ye go so easily?!
Chu Qingge's angry voice reached his ears before she even arrived. "Ning Cheng! What's the meaning of this? Was your promise to me just a bunch of nonsense?! "
Ning Cheng withdrew his gaze and resumed his usual arrogance. He ignored Chu Qingge and looked Coldly at Chu Yunyi and General Chu. "Someone come, take these two to the Three-Way Prison. Without your lordship's orders, no one is allowed to visit them!"
"Ning Cheng!"
"Ning Cheng, what's the meaning of this?"
Chu Yunyi and General Chu were both alarmed, especially Chu Yunyi. They'd already surrendered, so what else did Ning Cheng want?
Ning Cheng looked at the two men disdainfully. "Your lordship doesn't keep useless people in his army."
Chu Yunyi was blind in one eye, while General Chu was crippled in one arm. One couldn't aim at a target, while the other couldn't shoot an arrow. In Ning Cheng's eyes, they really were useless trash.
"Someone come!" General Chu ordered, and the surrounding archers surrounded them. But Ning Cheng only looked around before smiling coldly. "Do you choose to be loyal to your young general, or continue to serve these useless people? Decide for yourself. "
"What about Tianyin?" General Chu grew alarmed. "What do you want to do with him?"
Naturally, Ning Cheng wanted to use Chu Yunyi and General Chu to keep Chu Tianyin in check. Otherwise, with Chu Tianyin's temper, he'd never listen to his orders. How could the Chu Clan troops and archers follow his orders?
Hearing Ning Cheng's words, the archers all withdrew. They were smart people and knew that their young general was their only hope.
Once the archers were gone, two black-robed experts took Chu Yunyi and General Chu into custody.
"Qingge! Where's your big brother? "General Chu had no choice but to beg Chu Qingge for help. Unfortunately, she turned a deaf ear to his pleas.
"Ning Cheng, you can't be like this! You and I are both Great Qin's nobility. The Nether and Di Clans are both subjects of Western Qin. Don't you care about old friendships at all? Can't the Nether and Di Clans treat each other with sincerity and work together for Western Qin? "Chu Yunyi asked.
Ning Cheng was too lazy to expose Chu Yunyi's ambitions, nor did he want to waste words. He simply signaled for the guards to take the two of them away, allowing them to curse until they broke their throats. He remained indifferent.
Once they were taken away, Chu Qingge immediately asked Ning Cheng, "Just when are you going to do what you promised me?"
Ning Cheng turned to leave in irritation, but Chu Qingge chased after him and ordered, "Ning Cheng, they're definitely still in the city. Hurry and take Chu Tianyin in exchange for Han Yunxi! There's still time, so go right now! "
Has this woman lost her mind?
She was the one who told Ning Cheng how much Long Fei Ye valued Han Yunxi. Thus, if she could use Gu Beiyue as a hostage to threaten Han Yunxi, then she could threaten Long Fei Ye as well. Now she wanted him to take Chu Tianyin in exchange for Han Yunxi?
How could Long Fei Ye agree to that?
Ning Cheng suddenly realized that he'd been blind in the past to lump Han Yunxi in the same category as this crazy woman. If Han Yunxi knew, would she splash him with wine again?
Thinking up to here, Ning Cheng's lips quirked up into a grin. He kept walking forward, treating Chu Qingge like air.
Chu Qingge finally lost her temper and grabbed Ning Cheng by the arm. Ning Cheng stopped and turned back to look at his arm, his gaze cold and cruel!
Before he even spoke, Chu Qingge was already frightened enough to let go of his arm. She didn't dare to say a word.
"Once your lordship defeats the Duke of Qin, I'll naturally fulfill my promise," he said coldly as he strode off. Coldly, he strode away. He wanted to check on Chu Tianyin's condition and have a good chat with him about the Nether Clan's surrender.
Although they were in Fenglin Prefecture and could attack Youyun and Yaoshui Prefectures at any time, Ning Cheng had no intention of starting a war. But what about Long Fei Ye?
By now, they'd just left Fenglin Prefecture's gates …
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