That was a woman, an absolutely stunning woman dressed in a pink gauze skirt, her raven black hair coiled atop her head like a dark cloud. Yet, her light blue eyes betrayed an endless, captivating charm. Her nose was petite and slightly upturned, and her crimson lips were so enticing that one would instantly desire a kiss...

She wore a low-cut pink gauze dress that revealed a deep, unfathomable cleavage. A sheer shawl draped over her shoulders faintly showed off her smooth, pale, and delicate shoulders. Every glance, every smile, was imbued with a thousand shades of allure...

No man, seeing her, could possibly resist such magnetism.

Liang Xiaoke's gaze swept over the newcomer from head to toe, finally settling between her colossal breasts, unable to tear itself away. His mouth hung slightly open, and crystal-clear saliva dripped down the corner of his lips, stretching into a long, thin string...

Ye Jingyu, however, paid no mind to Liang Xiaoke’s lecherous state. He didn't even turn around, remaining seated at the table, eating his buns and sipping his soy milk, even though he already knew precisely who had arrived.

"Enchanting Lady, have you had breakfast yet?" As the approaching footsteps grew nearer, Ye Jingyu uttered the words softly.

A smile played on Yao Rao’s face as she gracefully arrived at Ye Jingyu’s table. She glanced at the now-stunned Liang Xiaoke, pursed her lips, and chuckled softly before addressing Ye Jingyu, "I consumed my breakfast before coming here!"

"Then sit," Ye Jingyu gestured toward the stool beside him, speaking plainly. He didn't even spare Yao Rao a direct look.

"Thank you, Young Master Ye," Yao Rao inclined her head slightly towards him before settling onto the stool. She then remained silent, simply watching Ye Jingyu devour the buns and soy milk on the table.

As for Liang Xiaoke on the side, the faint, intoxicating fragrance wafting from Yao Rao made him forget everything else. His eyes remained locked onto the exposed curve of her flesh. Saliva flowed anew from his mouth, wave after wave, and his head kept jerking forward towards Yao Rao’s body. Had it not been for the table separating them, he likely would have bumped right into her.

A full quarter of an hour passed before Ye Jingyu finally stopped eating his buns and let out a satisfied belch. Only then did he turn his head to look at Yao Rao.

Bright eyes, passionate lips, pearly teeth...

She was as beautiful as ever, as captivating as ever, radiating a profound seductiveness. Time seemed powerless against her; she was an enigma, a woman who shouldn't truly exist in this world...

A woman of such enchantment, whose first smile could topple cities, whose second could shatter nations...

"Sigh..." Ye Jingyu let out a heavy sigh as he gazed upon the stunning figure before him.

"I wonder why Young Master Ye sighs?" Yao Rao asked softly in response to his sigh, completely unfazed by the stale scent of bean curd that accompanied his breath after eating.

"How many times have we met now?" Ye Jingyu ignored her question and posed one of his own instead.

"If this servant does not misremember, this should be the third time. However, I spied upon Young Master Ye once secretly when you first arrived in Yun Jing," Yao Rao’s red lips moved slightly, emitting a voice so exquisitely beautiful it melted one to the bone.

"Heh, you were probably with Qin Yunxiao back then, weren't you?" Ye Jingyu suddenly threw out a punch, sending Liang Xiaoke—who had been about to rest his head on Yao Rao's shoulder—flying across the room. The impact shattered a nearby table into splinters before Ye Jingyu addressed Yao Rao again.

"Mhm," Yao Rao glanced at Liang Xiaoke as he scrambled up from the floor, then nodded lightly.

"Hey, beautiful Yao Rao, sorry about that just now. I didn't rest well last night and accidentally zoned out!" Liang Xiaoke wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his robe, clearing the drool, then waddled over to sit beside Yao Rao, shaking his rear end as he moved.

"That's my elder brother, Liang Xiaoke; he’s just a lecherous wolf. You needn't pay him any mind, Lady Yao Rao," Ye Jingyu rolled his eyes. Didn't rest well? How could he rest well after that business with the Emperor's woman in the palace?

Yao Rao nodded, genuinely ignoring Liang Xiaoke as he edged closer, her light blue eyes flickering with deep uncertainty as she continued to watch Ye Jingyu.

"Uh, I..." Liang Xiaoke was about to defend his honor when Ye Jingyu abruptly snatched a large bun and stuffed it into his mouth, effectively silencing whatever he was about to say next.

"Lady Yao Rao, do you know why I asked you to meet me here?"

"Is it because of the last matter?" Yao Rao’s bright eyes flashed, showing an expression that conveyed, Finally, you are getting to the point.

"Precisely. Last time, I sought cooperation with you because I needed the intelligence you possessed. Although you agreed, you gave me very little information. I knew then that you were still serving the Crown Prince, so I didn't blame you. This time, I have asked you here for one reason: I want you to pledge allegiance to me. From this day forward, you... will serve only me!" Ye Jingyu stood up from the table, walked to the bedside, and gazed out at the slowly rising morning sun, speaking calmly. Yet, an almost imperceptible aura of dominance emanated from him—an aura that brooked no refusal.

Yao Rao froze. She stared at Ye Jingyu’s profile, her face etched with incomprehension. Such arrogant words were not like him. By what right did he demand her exclusive service?

Yao Rao remained silent, but her eyes flickered incessantly, clearly weighing the implications of Ye Jingyu’s declaration.

The chamber fell into silence, broken only by the muffled sounds of Liang Xiaoke chewing his bun...

"Well?" After a considerable pause, Ye Jingyu suddenly turned back to face Yao Rao.

"The reason!" Yao Rao’s light blue eyes bored directly into Ye Jingyu’s dark ones. After confirming he was serious, she uttered those two words.

"I am now the Grand Commander of the Yun Guards. You know what the Yun Guards do. I can appoint you as the commander of the Second Order," Ye Jingyu stated plainly.

"I heard you intended that position for General Ying," Yao Rao’s expression remained unchanged as she replied calmly.

"His tracking skills are unparalleled, but when it comes to organizing intelligence, he falls short."

Yao Rao nodded, implicitly accepting Ye Jingyu's response, but then pressed further: "Is that all?"

"What do you require?" Ye Jingyu countered.

"Young Master Ye is a sharp man and surely understands that these things are not what I truly desire. Furthermore, even the Crown Prince, upon ascending the throne, could grant me these things, perhaps even greater ones. What I truly wish to know is: by what authority do you demand that I, and indeed the entire Hundred Flowers Sect, serve you?" Yao Rao looked directly at Ye Jingyu, her posture neither subservient nor aggressive.