In the carriage, Bai Qingqing was sharing the snacks she had bought with her mother. "Mother, try some, they're very sweet."

  Madam Qiao took one and put it in her mouth. "Indeed, not bad. But why did you come back so quickly? It will probably take some time to leave the city. Walking around more is also fine."

  Bai Qingqing covered her mouth and yawned, rubbing her eyes affectionately. "I got up a little early, I want to take a nap in the carriage."

  Seeing that she did have some dark circles under her eyes, Madam Qiao felt sorry for her and quickly asked someone to lay out the cushions. The mother and daughter took a peaceful nap in the carriage.

  Qinghan Temple was not far from the city suburbs, located on a not very high mountain, covering a large area, with thriving incense.

  There were many side courtyard rooms in the back mountain, but they were not crowded. The small courtyards were scattered and elegant.

  By the time Madam Qiao and Bai Qingqing settled down, it was almost dark. The prayer ceremony was to be held the next day, so Madam Qiao asked Bai Qingqing to rest early and went to the neighboring courtyard.

  ...

  Jinxiu Pavilion, the evening was the beginning of the influx of guests.

  At the door, you could smell a burst of fragrant wind. The warbling voices inside were like small hooks, attracting people in, willingly offering silver.

  In an elegant room of Jinxiu Pavilion, the warm fragrance was intoxicating. Ning Yan sat in the main seat, with fine wine and delicacies on the low table in front of him. In front of the screen, singers and dancers showed their talents. The gauze curtains were graceful, full of reverie. The sticky string music was ambiguous and seductive, making people intoxicated.

  The people at the lower seats were accompanied by beautiful women, either feeding wine or giggling. If they were not careful, they would laugh into their arms. Only Ning Yan's side was empty. The only beauty close to him was a zhang away from him, kneeling there carefully, the sweet smile on her face almost unsustainable.

  The most beautiful and charming dancer finished a dance, moved her lotus steps to Ning Yan's side, but she was not afraid of him. She poured a glass of wine and offered it, "Sir, was Yanrou's dance good?"

  Ning Yan looked at her with a half-smile, holding his head. "Compared to Lady Qiyue of Yanlai Tower, it seems..."

  Yanrou's eyes flickered slightly. She put down the wine glass and leaned closer, her breath like orchids. "Yanrou has even better dances, definitely not inferior to that Lady Qiyue. Sir, would you like to see? But, Yanrou only wants to dance for sir alone."

  Her charming eyes were like silk, her plump lips were red and dripping, and she had an irresistible fragrance on her body, captivating people's souls.

  Ning Yan reached out and pinched her exquisite chin. Yanrou's body stiffened for a moment, and then softened into mud, smiling charmingly.

  "In that case, very good."

  Ning Yan followed Yanrou to her room. The captivating fragrance became more and more obvious. Yanrou went behind the screen, took off the thin gauze on the outside, and when she came out, she wore coral-colored arm bracelets on her snow-white jade arms, which made her skin look even more like condensed fat.

  She walked barefoot on the soft carpet towards Ning Yan step by step, like a captivating fairy in a storybook.

  Yanrou leaned against Ning Yan, her waist soft, her alluring fragrance completely enveloping him. "Sir, dancing is so dull. Yanrou has better ways to make you happy."

  Ning Yan looked at her with his phoenix eyes lowered, his thin lips slightly curved. "Is that so?"

  The lack of madness in his eyes, unlike others who looked at her, irresistibly fascinated Yanrou. Even without other reasons, she wanted to make this man her devoted follower, so she tried even harder to seduce him.

  Confident, Yanrou sat on Ning Yan's lap, her warm, soft body emitting a strange fragrance from her exposed skin. Her delicate, snow-white fingers touched Ning Yan's cheek with infinite tenderness, but were caught by Ning Yan as soon as they made contact.

  Yanrou didn't pull back, but leaned against his chest shyly, her eyes filled with the smugness of impending success. No one could escape her charm, let alone with her helpers...

  Ning Yan's eyes were calm as he clearly felt a restlessness arise in his body. Not because of the woman in front of him, he looked around the room and noticed an inconspicuous lotus incense burner in the corner.

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  In the past, he wouldn't have cared about fragrances, but recently he had paid more attention, which allowed him to quickly notice the clue.

  The incense had a problem.

  However, Ning Yan remained still, allowing Yanrou's arms to wrap around his neck, her boneless body pressed against him. Ning Yan's brows furrowed slightly. This incense was truly suffocating, nowhere near...

  A thought struck him, nowhere near as pleasant as the fragrance on that girl from the Bai family?

  Suddenly, the door of the room was kicked open. Yanrou was startled and sat up straight, shouting, "Who!"

  Mu Shu strode in, easily lifting her off Ning Yan. "Sir, we caught them. They were hiding in the secret room, all dead men. We only managed to capture one alive."

  "One is enough," Ning Yan said, getting up and pulling out a handkerchief to slowly wipe his hands, as if to wipe away the places Yanrou had touched, then threw it on the ground.

  He stepped on the handkerchief and walked slowly to the corner, knocking over the incense burner with his scabbard, casually poking around in the ashes. "Where did you get this incense?"

  Yanrou was shocked beyond words. He knew? He guessed the incense was problematic? But why did he seem unaffected?

  "It doesn't matter if you don't want to say. You will eventually."

  Mu Shu understood. "Don't worry, sir. I will make her speak clearly."

  Yanrou's face was pale. The fact that her charm had no effect on Ning Yan was unacceptable to her. She raised her neck, revealing more of her snow-white, soft skin. "It's useless. You've smelled it for so long, it's impossible for it to have no effect. Why not let me serve you? I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

  Mu Shu's expression became serious. "Sir, should we call Doctor Wen to take a look? In case this incense really..."

  "No need."

  Ning Yan interrupted him. "Leave this to you. I'll take my leave."

  He flipped out of the window, the cold wind blowing on him, but it didn't dispel the restlessness.

  Ning Yan closed his eyes. He had encountered similar situations before. It would be a joke if he couldn't control his own body. Nothing to fear.

  ...

  Qinghan Temple indeed offered little in the way of entertainment. It was getting late, and most of the female residents in the back mountain had already retired for the night. However, Bai Qingqing couldn't fall asleep, having slept too much in the carriage during the day...

  "Zidai, go rest. I'll read for a while and then sleep."

  Zidai was very reassured about her young lady. She changed the tea to hot water, added more charcoal, and then closed the door to leave.

  Bai Qingqing leaned against the soft couch by the window, turned up the lamp a little brighter, and took out the storybook she had borrowed from Yaoyao.

  Yaoyao had always liked these kinds of stories. In her previous life, before Bai Qingqing was married, she often advised her sister not to read such frivolous things and to focus on virtue. Now, thinking back, she realized how wrong she had been. Only Yaoyao's gentle nature kept her from being angry.

  Now, Bai Qingqing also enjoyed them. She liked the chivalry and righteousness in the stories and used the heartless and ungrateful characters as a warning. Wasn't it much more interesting than the subtle power struggles and deceptions outside?

  Bai Qingqing became engrossed in the story without realizing it. Even though it was late, she didn't feel sleepy. Just as she was getting into the story, she suddenly heard two noises from the window beside her, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

  Bai Qingqing quickly got off the soft couch, not even having time to put on her shoes, and took a few steps back. The room was silent, with only the lamp flickering occasionally.

  Could it be... she had misheard?

  Bai Qingqing was uncertain. Perhaps the sound was just a bug or bird hitting the window frame?

  She felt uneasy. It was all the fault of the strange and supernatural things in the storybook, making her legs tremble. Maybe... she should go call Zidai to sleep with her...

  Just as Bai Qingqing moved, the window was suddenly flung open, and a gust of cold wind blew in, extinguishing the lamp. In the moment of darkness, Bai Qingqing saw a figure standing outside!

  Her soul almost left her body in fright. She instinctively ran towards the door, opening her mouth to call for help, but in the next instant, a vise-like arm wrapped around her waist, and her mouth was firmly covered.

  Bai Qingqing was on the verge of tears, almost fainting, but then, she suddenly smelled a very faint, almost illusory, familiar scent.