The first light of dawn filtered through the silk curtains, casting a soft glow on the bedchamber. Ye Tian lay between Lan Yuhua and Mu Qingyao, their bodies entwined under the disheveled sheets. The warmth, the scent, the lingering softness of skin—all spoke of the passion they had shared in the night hours. A faint, playful smile curved his lips as he traced a finger along Yuhua's shoulder, eliciting a quiet shiver.
"Ye Tian…" Yuhua murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep, "don't move so much… I… I can feel you teasing me again."
Mu Qingyao shifted closer, her hand brushing against his chest. "It seems someone had far too much energy last night," she teased, nipping at his earlobe lightly.
Ye Tian chuckled low, the sound a mix of amusement and satisfaction. "Energy is only the currency of intention," he murmured, tracing a path along Mu Qingyao's side. "And last night… my intentions were precise."
The room bore the subtle chaos of their intimacy—the disheveled sheets, the faint scent of lingering perfume, and the quiet tension between moments of laughter and stolen kisses. Time seemed both endless and fleeting, measured only by their whispered confessions and gentle touches.
His sister Xiuying had been sent away to another room, and for a brief moment, the world outside did not exist. Fingers intertwined, lips brushing, their breathing slowing but still shared in the silent aftermath of passion. Ye Tian's gaze softened, watching the curves of Mu Qingyao's shoulder and the way Yuhua's hair fell across his chest, a quiet satisfaction settling over him.
A faint knock at the door pulled them from their cocoon. Yuhua stirred, eyes narrowing. "Who is it?"
A shadow disciple appeared, bowing low. "Master Ye Tian, a letter has arrived from the Ling Clan addressed to the City Lord."
Ye Tian raised an eyebrow, allowing a faint smile to linger. "Yuhua, wake up. Mu Qingyao, rise as well. We have… matters to attend to."
Slowly, the three of them dressed, the intimacy of the morning replaced by their composed public presence. Yuhua broke the silence as she handed Ye Tian the letter. "It details the Ling Clan's outrage… they are complaining about your actions—about the investigation, about the elimination of their family members."
Ye Tian scanned the contents, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Truly… how does such a blind man become city lord? Their ignorance is astounding." He paused, his eyes narrowing as he read the final accusation: Ling Feng was being blamed for the murder of the City Lord's first wife, orchestrated by her son, Ling Feng's stepbrother. "Hmph," he murmured, "I did not foresee such a petty ploy… but trivial to resolve."
By the time they arrived at the Ling Clan mansion, whispers had already spread through the streets. The commotion Ye Tian had caused days prior was still fresh in the minds of the populace. His wives, standing with composure alongside his sister Xiuying and fifty shadow disciples, watched silently as he stepped forward alone.
The mansion's interior was serene yet tense. At the round table, the Ling Clan elders and patriarch sat, their expressions cold, authoritative. Ye Tian took the vacant chair opposite them, voice calm but carrying weight. "Why bring accusations against Ling Feng for a crime she did not commit?"
The patriarch's voice was measured, but edged with concern. "She interfered in matters beyond her station, sniffing around her deceased mother's case. Suspicion… naturally…"
Ye Tian's gaze sharpened. "You speak as though certainty rests on assumption. Are you confident in your accusations, or merely repeating rumor and fear?"
One elder interjected, voice trembling slightly. "We are aware of… her investigations, including her mother's past…"
Ye Tian's tone sharpened, disbelief and controlled anger mingling. "And yet you leave a daughter to bear the consequences of such petty ambitions? Should you not have called her forward, rather than involving her protector?"
The system window flickered before his eyes:
[System Activated] Servant Tortured – Connection to Master Ye Tian Confirmed
[System Activated] Ling Feng's Message – Traced Through Servant
Ye Tian slammed his fist on the table, the sound reverberating through the hall. "What is done is done. Do not involve me further. From this moment onward, I will protect her. You… care only for clan honor and hollow customs. You have no value for human life."
The elders argued that this was internal clan business, that an outsider should not interfere. Ye Tian's voice rose, carrying both authority and indignation. "How dare you deceive such an innocent girl! She deserves truth, justice, and protection. Not your manipulations and petty schemes!"
Without waiting for further debate, Ye Tian rose. The hall seemed to constrict around him, the elders stiffening under his silent pressure. He left the room with measured steps, his presence alone casting a shadow over their authority.
Outside, Ling Feng peeked from behind a doorway, unseen. Her heart pounded as she watched Ye Tian's determined stride, his anger for her safety burning clear. For the first time since her mother, someone had risked confrontation and authority on her behalf. Her chest tightened with a strange, unaccustomed warmth. She felt admiration, gratitude… and something more, unspoken.
Ye Tian exited the hall, his eyes scanning briefly, catching only shadows of movement. Ling Feng, hidden behind the door, saw only his back—unyielding, resolute, and entirely fearless. The seed of admiration, of attachment, had been planted.
The shadow disciples flanking his wives shifted slightly, maintaining their composure, understanding the unspoken weight of the events. Xiuying whispered something, a small teasing remark about her brother's protective nature. Ye Tian's faint chuckle carried across the courtyard as they walked away, leaving the Ling Clan to stew in their impotent authority.
The morning light touched their figures as they returned to the temporary residence, Ye Tian at the center, resolute, protective, and quietly contemplative. Behind closed doors, Ling Feng's hidden gaze lingered, her thoughts tangled in newfound feelings, admiration, and the realization that her life had irrevocably changed.