The Cold Minister’s Obsession: Chasing His Wife - Chapter 23

“Slap, slap, slap.”

Several consecutive slaps landed on Hua Qingyue’s face. “You little bitch, I’ll make sure you die today.”

After the slaps, Hua Qingyue’s head buzzed from the pain, blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, and she regained some clarity. Her fingers dug tightly into the dirt beneath her, filled with regret that she had only worn one hairpin today—unable to take this man down with her.

The man finished beating her and roughly pinned her down, pressing her hands above her head. His bloodshot eyes drew closer and closer…

Hua Qingyue glanced at the darkness on either side, her heart sinking to the depths. Today… she feared she would perish here.

Father, Mother… Qingyue tried her best! Don’t blame me.

She closed her eyes, steeling herself for what was to come.

Suddenly—

“Thud—!” The man on top of her was kicked hard to the side, followed by the sound of a blade piercing flesh. Hua Qingyue felt warm liquid splatter onto her face and numbly opened her eyes. A tall, imposing figure stood before her, thrusting a longsword repeatedly into the man’s chest.

“Big Brother… Big Brother…” Tears streamed from Hua Qingyue’s crimson-rimmed eyes.

The man’s bloodshot eyes widened in shock. “I… I’ll haunt you—”

Before he could finish, the sword plunged straight into his vitals, killing him instantly.

Lu Yan’s dark gaze fixed on the trembling figure before him—her long black hair disheveled, her pale face filled with terror, looking utterly shattered and pitiable.

He handed the bloodied sword to a subordinate and slowly stepped forward.

Hua Qingyue, curled into a ball, didn’t lift her head. Hearing footsteps, her trembling intensified. “Don’t come closer… don’t touch me.”

Lu Yan, just a few steps away, froze in place, his expression complex as he looked down at her.

He let out an almost imperceptible sigh, removed his cloak, and draped it over Hua Qingyue before scooping her up into his arms.

Hua Qingyue struggled with all her might, but it made no difference. In desperation, she turned her head and bit down hard.

Lu Yan grunted in pain but didn’t stop, striding toward the carriage waiting outside the alley.

He gently placed her inside. The warmth inside the carriage brought some clarity back to Hua Qingyue’s mind, and she loosened her bite. Her misty eyes fixed on the man above her.

“Big Brother… Big Brother…”

Her voice trembled uncontrollably. Seeing her swollen face covered in overlapping slap marks, her body drenched in blood, and her dazed expression as she stared at him, still shivering as she murmured, “Big Brother… am I dead…?”

She had just watched him leave the city—how could she be seeing him now?

“Don’t speak. I can’t understand you.”

Lu Yan lifted the carriage curtain.

Thinking he was leaving, Hua Qingyue hastily grabbed the hem of his robe and whimpered, “Big Brother…”

Lu Yan stiffened slightly before replying, “I’m not going anywhere.”

He turned to Fei Jiu outside the carriage. “Clean this up. Send word to the Lu residence that Qingyue is unharmed—just that the carriage broke down and will return once repaired.”

“Yes.”

Lu Yan’s icy voice returned. “Investigate these two men. Arrest everyone connected to them. I’ll interrogate them personally.”

“Yes.”

With that, he turned back into the carriage, retrieving a medicine box from beneath the seat. When he reached for Hua Qingyue’s hand, the terrified girl instinctively flinched away.

“Do you want to enter Anning Marquis Manor looking like this?” Lu Yan asked expressionlessly. “Or have you given up on finding a suitable husband?”

His words pierced through Hua Qingyue’s facade. Her already pale face turned even ghastlier.

Lu Yan didn’t tease her further. He pulled her forward abruptly, his tall frame enveloping her completely as their breaths mingled.

His eyes were like the darkest moonless night, endlessly deep, as if capable of swallowing everything whole.

And she happened to be right in their grasp.

Qingyue froze momentarily before instinctively trying to retreat but found her back restrained by his grip. She could only soften her tone in surrender, “Big brother, men and women shouldn’t be too familiar with each other. Please have someone else apply the medicine for me.”

“There is no one else. Only me.” Lu Yan’s deep voice sounded right before her, his warm breath brushing against her face. “You have no choice.”

As he spoke, he took hold of her hand.

Every nerve in Hua Qingyue’s body tensed to its limit as she leaned back slightly. “Big brother, Tao Xi… Tao Xi is still over there.”

Lu Yan glanced around. Fortunately, the blood on her hands wasn’t her own—the only injury was on her face. Relieved, he said slowly, “That useless maid of yours is still alive.”

Hearing that Tao Xi was alive, she shifted back slightly to create distance between them. Her misty eyes looked up at him as she murmured, “Thank you, big brother. Just let Tao Xi help me with the medicine.”

“I said you have no choice. Don’t move—I’m only applying medicine.”

This time, Hua Qingyue didn’t struggle anymore. The man before her had dark, unfathomable eyes, a complex emotion flashing briefly across them. “Weren’t you traveling with them? How did you end up in this courtyard?”

Qingyue’s eyes showed confusion, but she knew this matter wasn’t simple. “At first, I was following behind them, and everything seemed normal. But shortly after the carriage started moving, it stopped, and two men boarded…”

Her words trailed off mid-sentence. Her trembling pupils suddenly widened. “Big brother, I… I killed someone.”

The man applying the medicine remained unfazed. “They deserved it. Killing them was justified.”

Hua Qingyue looked at the blood on her hands and began trembling again.

Lu Yan took her hand and pulled out a black handkerchief from his sleeve, carefully wiping it clean. “Leave the rest to me. You don’t need to worry about it anymore.” He leaned closer, staring at the violently shaking woman, and instinctively added, “If you hadn’t killed him, would you have waited to be defiled?”

Inside the carriage, Hua Qingyue gradually calmed down. After sobbing for a while, she looked up at Lu Yan. “Big brother, thank you.”

If not for him, she wouldn’t have escaped this calamity. This was a debt she owed him.

Lu Yan’s thin lips parted slightly. “No need. Once you’ve recovered, I’ll come to collect my thanks. So don’t feel indebted.”

Hua Qingyue was momentarily stunned, choosing not to dwell on what he might demand. But given his life-saving grace, she would do her best to repay him if he asked. In the end, she could only nod.

“The injury on your face will heal after two applications of medicine.” He narrowed his eyes and asked, “Can you return on your own?”

Hua Qingyue lowered her head, her raven-feather lashes trembling incessantly. After hesitating, she replied, “I can return.”

“Returning alone—aren’t you afraid?” Lu Yan pressed further.

Her still-shaken eyes met his, unsure what he meant by this. A murder had occurred in the city today, and as the Commander of the Palace Command, his duty was to protect the imperial palace and capital of Jin. How could she dare delay him?

So, she answered truthfully, “I’m afraid, but I dare not delay your important matters any longer.”

As soon as she finished speaking, “Don’t you know how to ask for help? Beg me, and I’ll take you back.”

Hua Qingyue was puzzled, but even if nothing had happened today, returning in this state would make it difficult to explain to the Lu family. If Lu Yan could escort her back, these problems would naturally disappear.

She clutched Lu Yan’s sleeve with both hands, her voice trembling slightly, “Big brother, please take me back.”

Lu Yan replied in a deep voice, “Alright.”

Qingyue twisted her fingers together, hesitating for a long time before finally speaking up:

“Big brother, could I ask one more favor of you…?”

Lu Yan seemed to understand what she wanted to say, “I told you, leave the rest to me. Naturally, I won’t let anyone see you like this. Don’t worry.”

“Pass down my orders: say Miss Hua was frightened by the carriage tonight, and no one in the residence is to disturb her in the coming days.”