Chapter 67 Caught in the Act

Lady Ruji offered a faint smile, her captivating eyes shifting as she picked up the wine flagon before her and poured herself a full cup. Setting the flagon down, she took up the wine glass and said to Luo Ang, "Marquis of Yan, I toast you!"

Luo Ang picked up his wine glass, at a loss for how to proceed.

Ruji tilted her head back and drained the wine in one go, casting a bewitching glance at Luo Ang and asking with a hint of puzzlement, "Why does the Marquis still not drink? Could it be that you find the wine here unworthy of you?"

Luo Ang smiled and replied, "How could the Lady's wine be anything less than fine?"

As he spoke, a resolute expression crossed his face. He set down his wine cup, stood up, and cupped his fists to Ruji, saying, "Lady, I have suddenly recalled an urgent matter that cannot be delayed. I must take my leave now, and when the opportunity arises in the future, I shall come to trouble you again!"

With that, he hurriedly turned, walked to the door, and tried to push open the wooden portal to leave.

To his surprise, however, the wooden door had been bolted from the outside; under his shove, it remained completely immovable.

"Why is the Marquis in such a rush?" Ruji's voice carried a hint of triumph.

Luo Ang turned around to see that Ruji had already stood up. Swaying her slender waist with dainty steps, she walked toward him, her beautiful eyes brimming with seduction, as if he had already become the prey trapped in her jaws.

The light gauze slipped from Ruji's shoulders like a vixen revealing her true form. She quickly reached Luo Ang's side, pressing her left hand against the door and leaning her entire body almost flush against him. In a alluring murmur, she said, "Why must the Marquis be in such a hurry? It is not too late to leave after dawn! The night is long and slow—why not accompany me to my chambers to enjoy the ultimate earthly bliss?"

Luo Ang's heart fluttered. He gave a dry laugh and said, "I am afraid I cannot bear the Lady's kind intentions! Lady, walls have ears in this world. If word of this matter were to reach the Grand Tutor's ears, it matters little to me, but are you not afraid, Lady, of incurring the Grand Tutor's wrath?"

Ruji replied, "Unless the Marquis goes personally to inform the Grand Tutor, how could he possibly find out?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Ang's heart stirred suddenly. A vague thought flashed through his mind, leading him to suspect that Ruji's sudden seduction today was far from a simple outburst of passion.

Ruji extended a finger, gently poking Luo Ang's chest and tracing it slowly downward.

Luo Ang's resolve wavered, and he quickly caught her hand.

Before he knew it, Ruji had fallen into his arms, a rich, intoxicating fragrance washing over him and nearly making him dizzy.

At that very moment, a commotion arose outside, and a familiar female voice rang out: "How dare you try to stop me! Have you all grown tired of living?"

Following this, a crisp sound echoed from outside, resembling the sharp slap of someone receiving a heavy blow.

Immediately afterward, the hurried and chaotic sound of footsteps approached the inner hall.

Struck with panic, Ruji instantly broke away from Luo Ang's embrace, turned, and fled through the side door. Meanwhile, the chaotic footsteps reached the exterior of the door, followed by the sound of the wooden bolt being wrenched away.

Luo Ang hurriedly pulled open the wooden door and saw Dong Yuan standing before him. He breathed a silent sigh of relief and said to her with immense gratitude, "Yuan'yuan, you certainly arrived at the right time!"

Dong Yuan gave an indignant huff, strode into the back hall, and swept her gaze across it. Seeing no one else there, she froze in confusion.

At that moment, Dong Yuan noticed a piece of women's light gauze lying not far away. Frowning, she immediately walked over, picked up the gauze, and inspected it with an expression of profound fury. Turning back to Luo Ang, she held up the gauze and demanded sharply, "Whose is this?"

Luo Ang took the gauze from her hand and smiled, "It's mine. I accidentally dropped it."

Dong Yuan was momentarily stunned. "You're talking nonsense! This is clearly a woman's intimate garment—how could it possibly be yours?"

Luo Ang simply decided to double down on the absurdity: "Yuan'yuan, what kind of talk is that? Am I forbidden from buying such things for you, Wenji, and Diaochan?"

Hearing this, Dong Yuan froze. Her face flushed crimson instantly, and she wore a deeply bashful expression as she retorted, "Who wants this kind of thing from you?!"

Seeing her reaction, Luo Ang said, "Since you don't want it, I'll give it to Wenji and Diaochan instead!"

Upon hearing those words, Dong Yuan snatched the gauze, pressed it against her chest, and said shyly, "I—I want it!"

Luo Ang chuckled and pulled Dong Yuan into his embrace, while she leaned against him with pampered affection.

After a moment, Dong Yuan raised her head and looked at him.

Luo Ang asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Is my face that dirty?"

Dong Yuan let out a cold huff and said, "You must be lying to me!"

Luo Ang broke into a cold sweat inwardly and thought, *Ah, I didn't expect to be caught out.*

Noticing his expression, Dong Yuan narrowed her eyes, pulled away from his embrace, and raged, "You really did come here to rendezvous with that vixen!"

Startled, Luo Ang quickly waved his hands and said, "Yuan'yuan, don't get excited! Hear me out first!"

Dong Yuan glared at him, temporarily holding her temper in check. Clearly, if Luo Ang failed to provide a convincing explanation, there was no telling how furious her outburst might be!

Luo Ang sighed and said, "I had no choice in this matter either! I am here in Luoyang, while my father-in-law is far away in Chang'an, and there is no one around him to speak on my behalf. If one day he listens to some slanderer's words, how would I even know how I died? Therefore, I had no choice but to think of a way to curry favor with Lady Ruji so that she might put in a good word for me before my father-in-law. At the very least, I wouldn't end up murdered without even knowing the reason why, would I?"

Seeing the sincerity in Luo Ang's demeanor and realizing that his reasoning made a great deal of sense, Dong Yuan could not help but nod. Pouting, she muttered, "I would naturally help you with such matters; why on earth did you need to come looking for this vixen and demean yourself in vain?"

Luo Ang smiled. "Alright, Yuan'yuan, I was in the wrong, and I won't do it again next time. Will you forgive me?"

Dong Yuan replied, "Very well, I'll forgive you this time. From now on, you are not to come here anymore. I will speak on your behalf before my father."

Luo Ang said, "Thank you, Yuan'yuan."

Dong Yuan asked, "Will you take a walk with me?"

"Oh, of course!" With that, Luo Ang accompanied Dong Yuan toward the main avenue ahead.

On the main avenue, Luo Ang and Dong Yuan strolled together, enjoying the night scenery of Chang'an City.

At that moment, the sound of carriage wheels grinding against the ground came from behind them.

Turning their heads, Luo Ang and Dong Yuan saw a luxuriously decorated carriage escorted by a troop of soldiers rapidly approaching from the rear.

Before long, the carriage pulled up beside the two of them and stopped.

The carriage curtain was then lifted, revealing the face of Li Ru to Luo Ang and Dong Yuan.

Seeing Luo Ang and Dong Yuan together on the main street, a flash of surprise crossed Li Ru's eyes. He hurriedly alighted from the carriage, cupped his fists, and bowed deeply to Dong Yuan and Luo Ang with a beaming smile, saying, "Milady, Brother Luo!"

Luo Ang smiled and returned the courtesy, "I never expected to run into you here, Sir!"

Li Ru laughed and said, "I heard that Brother Luo had arrived in Chang'an and originally intended to find time to pay my respects, but I have been constantly caught up with affairs. I hope Brother Luo will not take offense!"

Luo Ang smiled. "Sir, you are too modest. As the Grand Tutor's right-hand man with a myriad of daily state affairs, naturally you have little leisure time. It is I who should have come to pay my respects to you!"

After exchanging these polite pleasantries, the two men locked eyes and burst into laughter.

Li Ru glanced at them both and asked with a curious smile, "I wonder where Brother Luo and Milady are headed?"

Dong Yuan remained silent, looking toward Luo Ang with an expression that showed she deferred entirely to his leadership.