Chapter 119: How to Spend This Night?

The fleet extinguished their fires neither hastily nor sluggishly; after all, for them, the only thing that mattered was to avoid arousing any suspicion aboard the passenger ship. Only when the dozens of vessels had majestically sailed past did Lu Ying exhale a quiet sigh of relief.

Casually, she took the nobleman's other hand, then placed the wine cup into his palm. After ensuring he held it firmly by gently gripping his fingers, Lu Ying lowered her head and began to leisurely adjust her garments.

Her movements were so natural that the nobleman felt any display of emotion on his part would seem exaggerated.

At that moment, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and he turned his head to quietly admire Lu Ying’s actions under the bright lantern light.

After a while, he spoke in a low voice, “Ah Ying, sometimes you are truly enchanting.”

By then, Lu Ying had neatly arranged her outer robe. Upon hearing his words, she lifted her head and smiled, her eyes narrowing into elegant slits—those dark, translucent eyes curved like fine lines, as clear as still water beneath an open sky. “Thank you for the compliment, my lord.”

She glanced briefly at his face illuminated by the firelight, then averted her gaze toward the cabin and changed the subject. “Dan Cai’s laughter rings out; I wonder how the sword dance performance went?”

Hearing this, the nobleman smiled. “Be careful, Ah Ying. After this, he won’t wear such a pleasant expression for you.”

Lu Ying’s face fell. “Isn’t that only natural?”

At this, she turned her eyes toward him and softly asked, “My lord, how do you think I performed tonight?”

Under the clear night sky, her glance was shimmering and delicate, utterly masking the usual coldness she displayed.

The nobleman studied her for a long moment, then smiled gently. “Not bad at all.” Casually tossing the wine cup into the river, he added, “Given the haste, having such quick wit is commendable.”

Receiving his praise, Lu Ying’s spirits soared. Proudly raising her chin, she asked happily, “If my lord thinks I did well, is there a reward?”

He turned his head to her, his starry eyes half-smiling. “No reward.” Seeing her face quickly fall, he asked slowly, “What reward do you desire, Ah Ying?”

What reward did she want?

Her mind was preoccupied with how to spend the night.

But she didn’t know how to voice such a thing. She couldn’t very well say, “Tonight, I’ll share the same room with you, but you’re not allowed to touch me.”

Perhaps others could say such things, but not to him.

Because he was never the desperate type who would take what he wanted without thought. For others, such words might be warnings; to him, they might be insults.

Yet he had always been the kind to do whatever he wished.

While Lu Ying wrestled with her thoughts, the nobleman continued to look at her intently.

Fixing his gaze upon her, a slight smile lifted his lips as he slowly said, “Ah Ying, since you are so clever, perhaps I should grant you a reward?” After a pause, he asked seriously, “What if tonight I allow you to—”

Before he could finish, Lu Ying’s heart dropped. Fearing he would say the word “sleep,” which might complicate matters, she hastily placed one hand over his mouth! Feeling that one hand was insufficient, she quickly added the other.

Just then, the ship’s captain approached briskly with two companions. The last girl in their group called out excitedly, “Oh, those big ships have passed…”

Before she could finish, her voice abruptly hushed.

The captain and his two companions stopped abruptly. The captain, wearing a forced smile, bowed his head and said, “I—I beg your pardon for my rudeness.”

The nobleman’s eyes flicked over the four stunned figures, then he deliberately took Lu Ying’s hand back from where she had hurriedly withdrawn it and said, “This is but daily play with your lord; no need for alarm.”

The captain immediately lowered his head and replied, “Yes, I am not alarmed, not alarmed at all.”

The nobleman, holding Lu Ying’s hand, spoke calmly, “The night is cold and the wind sharp; tell everyone to rest early.”

“Yes, yes.”

As they walked, when Lu Ying came alongside the captain, she suddenly spoke in a clear, cold tone, “Sir, is there still a cabin available?”

“Huh?” The captain looked up in surprise, then glanced at the nobleman, confusion plain upon his face. To him, a personal attendant like Lu Ying was meant to serve her lord’s daily needs on the road and keep him company in times of leisure and desire. Why would there be a separate cabin?

But after exchanging a glance with the nobleman, the captain stiffened and lowered his head, answering, “My lord, there are no vacant cabins left.”

“Is that so? What a pity,” Lu Ying frowned, displeased, and led the nobleman forward.

They neared the cabin designated for the two of them.

The nobleman stepped inside first. Tall as he was, he had to bend slightly to enter, and upon crossing the threshold, his bulk blocked much of the light.

Feeling the sudden dimness before her, Lu Ying lifted her impassive face. After glancing inside the cabin, she released the nobleman’s hand and began methodically arranging the bedding.

After some careful adjustments, Lu Ying climbed down slowly.

Turning around, she met the gaze of the man who stood with arms crossed, his figure blocking the candlelight entirely. In the darkness, his eyes glimmered sharply as he silently stared at her.

Against the backlight, his handsome features seemed sculpted and refined, softened by the night’s glow, lending him an air of warmth and mystery absent in daylight.

Lu Ying’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

But in the next instant, she bowed slightly to the nobleman and asked in a cool voice, “My lord, will you retire to rest now?”

“Mmm…” He hummed softly through his nose, a silken sound that lingered, his naturally deep voice stirring the heart. After a lazy pause, he said, “I have some matters to attend to. You may warm the bed first.”

Warm the bed? Warm…?

At once, Lu Ying could no longer maintain her impassive mask.

After a moment of stunned silence, she trembled as she pulled a jade pendant from beneath her collar and foolishly asked, “With this, can I be spared?”

“…”

Using his own token to restrain him?

The nobleman could no longer hold back a laugh.

Supporting his head with one hand, he chuckled for a while before saying, “Lu family, oh Lu family, all women in the world wish to be near me. Why are you the only one who fears me as if I were a tiger?”

He truly could not understand.

Hearing his question, Lu Ying became unusually solemn and idealistic. She lifted her chin with a cool, resolute expression and said, “I have always pitied those women confined to boudoirs, their emotions controlled by others, their comings and goings limited, truly living a wasted life. In this lifetime, no matter what, I Lu Ying will grasp my own fate and govern my own joys and sorrows!”

Her demeanor was lofty and disdainful of nobility, reminiscent of the great scholars the nobleman had met in Luoyang.

Yet, though her words were righteous and sincere, the way she posed and spoke made them somehow comically absurd.

The nobleman laughed aloud again.

Laughing, he stepped forward, took Lu Ying into his arms, and stroked her soft black hair. With a sigh, he said gently, “You… after your fright in the water today, how could I harm you? Just sleep beside me, be good.”

It was common for servants attending their masters overnight to rest by their bedside, a customary favor.

After saying this, he patted her hair twice before turning to leave.

Half an hour later, he returned to find Lu Ying quietly curled in a corner of the bed, propping her head on her elbow and eyes darting as if lost in thought. Seeing him approach, she quickly slid off the bed.

She helped him remove his clothing and shoes, watched until he was settled, then blew out the candle and quietly took her place in the corner, carefully slipping her feet—chilled by the river breeze—under the covers.

No sooner did she do so than she felt a warm, strong limb—presumably the nobleman’s thigh—against her feet. Startled, she recoiled and remained silently curled in the corner.

Given his status, the nobleman’s word that he would not touch her was absolute. If Lu Ying were to cause trouble or insist on sleeping on the floor, it would be an act of defiance and displease him.

Thus, after all this, a young maiden like Lu Ying found herself sharing not only the same room but the same bed with this man.

At this point, insisting on innocence seemed laughable. In truth, ever since their journey began, her innocence was long lost; even earlier, when he had gently touched her face, it had vanished.

Seated in the corner, Lu Ying mourned briefly before thinking, Fortunately, I never intended to marry.

In the darkness, Lu Ying’s breathing gradually slowed and deepened, while the nobleman’s remained steady and calm.

Time passed, and dawn arrived.

Awakened by the bustle outside, Lu Ying opened her eyes swiftly, having only just drifted into sleep at daybreak.

The nobleman was gone from the other side of the bed. She hurriedly rose, finding clean water and grooming items just outside the cabin door. After washing, she tied her long hair with a red ribbon, transforming once again into a cool, aloof youth of ethereal beauty.

Stepping outside, she spotted a slender figure in blue armor standing rigidly nearby. Glancing around and seeing no sign of the nobleman, Lu Ying approached the soldier.

As she neared, the soldier’s cold gaze landed on her, chilling her with its intensity. She shuddered involuntarily, her steps faltering.

Seeing her cooperation, the soldier cast a cold glance and turned away.

Lu Ying lifted her chin slowly, then approached a petite girl who had once shown her affection. Blocking her path, she asked gravely, “May I ask how our guard’s sword dance performed last night?”

The blue-armored soldier’s eyes widened sharply, cutting a fierce glance at Lu Ying.

The angrier he grew, the more Lu Ying struggled to suppress a smile. You little tyrant, relying on your small rank to scheme against me in the Mirror Garden, tricking me into calming the enraged nobleman to prevent a slaughter… Now, the debts of April must be repaid swiftly! Feeling vexed yet?

Suppressing her laughter, Lu Ying furrowed her brow with mock seriousness and stroked her chin as she continued, “Come to think of it, I did see him dance once, though it was only a brief glance. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to truly appreciate it…”

(to be continued)