CHAPTER 83 — THE NIGHT TWO SECRETS RETURNED
In the next instant, the Third Prince tightened his hold around Tang Ke Xin, drawing her closer until her face was pressed firmly against his chest. In truth, he had concealed her face from the very beginning; Mu Shaoyi could not have recognised her even if he tried. His earlier movements had been nothing more than instinct.
"Your Highness… why are you here so late at night?"
Mu Shaoyi's voice trembled with confusion. He did not see the faint flicker of despair on the woman's hidden face—he only saw the Third Prince standing outside the Mu Residence at an hour when no respectable person should be wandering about.
And holding a woman.
With a rope tied around her waist.
A rope he himself held.
The sight was… bewildering.
"When," Ye Lan Jue replied coldly, "did my affairs become any concern of yours?"
His voice was low, edged with a killing intent that made Mu Shaoyi's scalp prickle. He dared not utter another careless word.
But his gaze drifted—inevitably—to the rope around the woman's waist, then to the rope in the Third Prince's hand. His expression twisted into something between horror and disbelief.
The Third Prince, perceptive as ever, immediately understood the direction of Mu Shaoyi's thoughts. Instead of correcting him, he pulled Tang Ke Xin even closer, lowered his head, and murmured intimately against her ear:
"Let's go. We'll continue this when we return."
Tang Ke Xin stiffened.
Third Prince… do you have any idea how easily your words can be misunderstood?
She could practically hear Mu Shaoyi's thoughts spiralling into scandalous territory. The Third Prince's phrasing could not have been more perfectly tailored to confirm every one of Mu Shaoyi's wild assumptions.
He was doing it deliberately.
To mislead Mu Shaoyi.
To cover up the true reason for their presence here tonight.
He had gone to great lengths to protect her.
But… was he not worried about his own reputation?
Did he not fear Mu Shaoyi spreading rumours?
She certainly did not trust Mu Shaoyi's character.
Yet Ye Lan Jue seemed utterly unconcerned.
He tightened his grip, tugged the rope with deliberate emphasis, and swept her away into the night.
---
Mu Shaoyi stood rooted to the spot, lantern trembling in his hand.
Had he truly seen what he thought he had seen?
The righteous, dignified Third Prince…
with a woman tied to a rope…
pressed against him in the shadows of the Mu Residence…
Was this truly His Highness'… peculiar fancy?
His mind reeled.
If he had arrived a moment later—
would he have witnessed something even more shocking?
He was so overwhelmed by the imagined depravity of the scene that he completely failed to notice Dong'er slipping out of the courtyard behind him.
---
Dong'er waited until Mu Shaoyi disappeared before darting away. She did not see her young mistress, but knowing Tang Ke Xin was with the Third Prince, she felt—strangely—relieved.
Safe, even.
Then she froze.
Why would she think that?
Why would she feel that Miss was safe with the Third Prince… except in certain other aspects?
Dong'er shivered violently and fled back to the Prime Minister's Estate.
---
Ye Lan Jue did not scold Tang Ke Xin further. He simply carried her back to the Prime Minister's Estate and set her down.
"Tang Ke Xin," he said quietly, "if you ever do something this foolish again, I will not let you off so easily."
He turned and left.
Tang Ke Xin watched his retreating figure, eyes narrowing in thought.
Why was it that no matter what she did, he always appeared?
Why was he everywhere?
As a prince, should he not be busy?
Why did he seem to have endless time to catch her in the act?
And how had he known she would go to the Mu Residence tonight?
Was he a clairvoyant?
---
"Miss, you're back?"
Dong'er burst into the room, breathless with relief. Seeing her young mistress safe, she finally relaxed.
But she glanced around, frowning.
"Where is His Highness?"
"He left," Tang Ke Xin replied.
"Left? Just like that?" Dong'er was stunned. His earlier threats had made her think he would drag Miss straight to the Empress.
"Or," Tang Ke Xin said dryly, "did you want him to stay?"
Dong'er choked, cheeks reddening.
She coughed and glared at her mistress.
Tang Ke Xin only smirked.
"Mission accomplished. Go to sleep."
She removed her boots, reached inside one, and pulled out the jade pendant. A satisfied smile curved her lips. Despite the complications, she had succeeded.
And Ye Lan Jue had not taken it from her.
He would never imagine she had hidden it in her boot.
Dong'er watched her retrieve the pendant and nearly fainted.
Her young mistress was becoming less and less like a proper young lady.
But… somehow more admirable.
---
The next morning, Dong'er entered the room and immediately spotted the jade pendant lying casually on the table.
"Miss! You stole this with such difficulty last night—how can you leave it lying around? What if you lose it again?"
Tang Ke Xin emerged from behind the screen, fastening her belt.
"What do you mean, 'stole'? I borrowed it. I'll return it soon."
Dong'er sighed. "Yes, yes, Miss will return it soon. But at least keep it safe."
She picked up the pendant and handed it over.
Tang Ke Xin blinked.
"Why is the jade pendant in your hand? I left it in my room."
Dong'er frowned. "Miss, I found it on the table when I came in. Did you remember wrongly?"
Impossible.
Tang Ke Xin hurried back into her room—
and froze.
There, on the table beside her bed, lay another jade pendant.
Identical.
Two pendants.
Dong'er gasped. "Miss… we only stole one. How are there two? Did you find the one you lost?"
"Impossible," Tang Ke Xin whispered.
The second pendant…
had appeared out of nowhere.
Someone had placed it there.
Someone who had entered her room while she slept.
Someone who possessed the original pendant she had given away that night.
Her heart pounded.
Could it be him?
The man from that night.
Who was he?
Why had he returned the pendant?
What did he want?
And why now?