Chapter 732: Red Silk Canopy, Warm Night, Lantern Light

Wei Yingxue's warm breath brushed against Chen Yan's earlobe; she bit her plump lower lip and spoke in a voice as thin as a mosquito's.

"Grand Preceptor originally said: 'A Yan, this kid now holds the top rank and commands heavy troops, yet in the Duke of Wei's mansion backyard there are only Ji'an and Zhiye, just two men. How can that possibly hold down this sky‑splitting wealth…'"

Wei Yingxue's cheeks flushed so red they seemed ready to bleed, and her voice began to tremble.

"Grand Preceptor also sternly instructed us, saying that once we reach Xiazhou, we must urge our husbands to set aside military concerns and cultivate the rear household, so that by next spring, here in the Xiazhou General Command, we can bring forth a few big, sturdy boys with handles…"

Having finished speaking, Wei Yingxue dared not look at Chen Yan's expression; she clamped both hands over her burning cheeks, like a startled quail, curled back into her seat and buried her head in her knees, pretending to be dead.

The air in the flower hall seemed to halt its flow at that instant.

Qingyu's hand, which had been pouring tea, suddenly trembled, and the scalding tea splashed onto the table; she blushed so that even her pale neck took on a tempting pink hue.

She quickly set the teapot down, her hands anxiously clasped over her abdomen, fingers tightly twisting the silk sash at her waist, head bowed so she wouldn't even exhale.

The Ye Zhuxi opposite him stared blankly for three full breaths, her spirited eyes bulging round.

Then, unabashedly slapping the table, she burst into a loud, carefree laugh that pierced the roof, shaking the Red Silk hanging from the beams.

Ye Zhuxi perched one foot on a long bench, lifted the large sea‑bowl, gestured at Chen Yan from a distance, and provocatively whistled a sharp note.

"Chen Zongguan, Grand Preceptor's command was issued both hastily and ruthlessly; I wonder whether your battlefield‑indomitable physique can still endure a series of fierce battles in this splendid heap!"

Chen Yan looked at the three women before him, whose reactions were poles apart; his mouth twitched, then he threw his head back and let out a boisterous laugh far wilder than Ye Zhuxi's.

He slammed the white jade wine cup he held onto the rosewood table, producing a crisp, explosive sound.

In Chen Yan's narrow, deep eyes, shielded by the wine's haze, a razor‑sharp, penetrating political calculation flashed by in an instant.

Grand Preceptor, without sparing effort, sent these three yet‑unpresented side wives a thousand miles to Xiazhou; the purpose could not be clearer…

It is to make him work diligently and spread his branches.

Only if my own line and A Ze's offspring continue will the two families' future in Great Zhou be impregnable as gold‑filled broth…

And since the Grand Preceptor has even placed the pillow at the bedside, how could Chen Yan possibly refuse to go with the flow and lie down?

Chen Yan halted his laughter, propping his chin with one hand, a mischievous curl at his mouth, his gaze like a wolf king surveying its domain, sweeping over the three women with oppressive, predatory intensity.

"Since the Grand Preceptor has issued such a death‑order, if I were to defy it, wouldn't I betray his earnest intentions?"

He pushed the chair behind him, strode around the round table, and walked straight to the still‑boisterously laughing Ye Zhuxi.

His towering frame completely blocked the flickering candlelight, casting Ye Zhuxi entirely in his shadow.

Chen Yan bent slightly; before Ye Zhuxi could react, his left arm forcefully slipped through her knee, his right arm wrapped her back, and he hoisted the imperious female commander sideways.

The sudden lift made Ye Zhuxi let out a short gasp; she instinctively reached for Chen Yan's solid neck, her wheat‑colored long legs kicking wildly twice in the air.

"Chen Yan, you're insane, put me down, I can walk on my own."

Chen Yan lowered his head, his warm lips brushing her flushed earlobe, his low, hoarse voice exuding an undeniable dominance.

"Tonight, I'll first test, test—Ye Dudu has been away from Yinzhou so long, let's see whether this spear technique and physique have grown rusty."

Cradling Ye Zhuxi, he turned and gave Qingyu and Wei Yingxue a meaning‑laden glance, then strode through the flower hall's partition door toward the innermost main chamber of the inner courtyard.

In the flower hall, only Qingyu and Wei Yingxue remained, staring at each other, covering their mouths as a suppressed, coquettish giggle escaped them.

Inside the chamber, the red silk canopy was warm, and the floor dragon fire heated the entire room to a sweltering blaze.

Chen Yan tossed Ye Zhuxi onto the spacious, wide‑step bed; his powerful rebound sent her bouncing twice on the soft brocade quilt.

Ye Zhuxi swiftly rolled over, sat up, untied the cumbersome leather belt at her waist, tossed it onto the carpet, producing a dull thud.

Shedding the tight Xuanse Jinshen, Ye Zhuxi revealed the flawless muscular lines of a lifelong martial practitioner—tight abdomen without a speck of fat, even a hint of a beautiful "six‑pack."

She sat cross‑legged on the bed, showing none of the usual feminine coyness; instead, like a yearning warhorse, she extended her index finger toward Chen Yan.

"Once on the bed, Governor Ye won't spare you just because you're a Zongguan; you'd better bring the strength you used to cut people down in Gancao City."

Chen Yan casually unfastened the clasp of his robe, flung the Purple Robe representing authority onto the red‑wood screen, revealing his bronze‑colored, muscular chest.

Only after the night watchman's gong sounded three times beyond the window did this storm‑like contest finally draw to a close.

Chen Yan lay on the disheveled bed, letting sweat drip down his resolute jawline onto the brocade quilt.

He reached out, pulling the drenched, powerless Ye Zhuxi into his arms, his fingertips rhythmically patting her back, leaving a room filled with a lingering, scorching resonance.