CHAPTER 223: CHAPTER 221 YOU DARE TO STAY, I DARE TO KEEP_1

"Is that so? This magic lamp will be available for sale soon?" Lady Karol seemed delighted to hear the news. She said to Yan Xing, "Duke Silvermane was so pleased with the Ice Jade Porcelain dinnerware that he held a banquet on the same day, inviting all the nobles in the city to admire it at the palace.

The news about the Ice Jade Porcelain spreads like it has grown wings, reaching faraway places. I think once this war is over, more people will definitely come here, longing to purchase a set of Ice Jade Porcelain dinnerware.

And now you have such a wondrous magic lamp.

Bathed in such light, I find myself wanting to ask you for a room here, to settle down..."

Lady Karol looked at Yan Xing, her pupils sparkling with Magic Power, an allure that easily drew people in.

It stirred something in Yan Xing’s heart as well.

Lady Karol was not yet thirty years old, beautiful and charismatic; once, she had been hailed as the most beautiful woman in the principality.

It was just unfortunate that her husband had died suddenly from an unknown illness less than a year into their marriage.

After that, Lady Karol frequented the Royal Court and quickly became a sought-after figure in the Silvermane Principality.

The relationship between Lady Karol and Duke Silvermane was an open secret that everyone knew but never openly discussed.

Therefore, her expressed desire to stay could not be taken seriously.

Yan Xing did not believe he currently possessed the ability to cuckold Duke Silvermane.

"Hahaha... Lady Karol, if you wish to stay here, it’s no difficult matter. I may lack many things, but not rooms.

Feel free to look around, my lady.

Whichever room you fancy, I will give to you!

Even if you fancy my own room, my lady, I will vacate it for you tonight so you can move in comfortably."

Yan Xing still remembered the persona he had established in Nuta City. His forthright manner actually left Lady Karol unsure how to respond.

Fortunately, Lady Karol was seasoned in managing various situations. Covering her mouth with a laugh, she said, "I was under the impression that Sir Yan Xing was afraid of angering the Duke and wouldn’t dare to let me stay. To think you’re so bold... Do you really not know about my relationship with Duke Silvermane?"

Yan Xing laughed, "It’s just a room. What is there for Duke Silvermane to be upset about?

And honestly, I really don’t know what your relationship with the Duke is.

Could it be... you’re the Duke’s wife?"

Yan Xing’s words finally hit a sore spot for Lady Karol.

Duke Silvermane had a wife, and she came from a very prestigious family.

Though everyone was well aware of Lady Karol’s relationship with the Duke, in the end, it held no official status.

And it was doomed to remain without status forever.

For Lady Karol, her current position and power were as precarious as duckweed.

Once she lost the Duke’s favor, she would immediately have nothing.

This was a hidden wound in Lady Karol’s heart, and Yan Xing had just thoughtlessly poked it.

Lady Karol’s complexion instantly took a turn for the worse.

She glanced at Count Theodore. The sly fox had already turned his head, pretending he hadn’t heard, but the smile on his face carried a mocking undertone.

Neither Count Theodore nor Yan Xing believed that Lady Karol wasn’t afraid of Duke Silvermane’s suspicions.

"Sir Yan Xing, you truly are a straightforward man," Lady Karol forced a smile back onto her face, "You’re right, it’s only a room. Since you’ve invited me, I shall choose a room here to stay.

I love spending evenings cooling off and reading. The lighting here will make it even more comfortable to immerse myself in the worlds within my books.

Thank you once again, Sir Yan Xing."

With these words, Lady Karol took a glass of wine from a passing server’s tray and handed it to Yan Xing.

She then clinked her own glass against Yan Xing’s.

I only wanted to pressure Lady Karol into leaving; how did she... actually decide to move in?

This was a delicate and potentially scandalous situation.

I am brimming with youthful vigor, and you are a ravishing mature woman. Even if nothing happens, Duke Silvermane’s forehead would still go green.

Yan Xing felt he might have taken things too far and wanted to back off and concede, but then he saw Lady Karol’s challenging gaze.

A dignified lord like myself, afraid of a mere mistress?

"Alright then, it’s settled," he said. "I also enjoy reading. Since we’ll be living under the same roof, we must have a good discussion about literature in the future."

As they chatted, Lady Karol’s decision to move into Yan Xing’s Envoy Mansion was made, leaving Count Theodore, who had been watching the drama unfold, completely dumbfounded.

What situation was this?

Could it be that Lady Karol was trying to find a breakthrough with Yan Xing, to pull Thunderous Swamp into the Duke’s sphere of influence!

I’ve been careless, so careless...

He hadn’t expected Lady Karol to personally enter the fray! He worried that young Yan Xing wouldn’t be able to hold his ground.

If Thunderous Swamp were really won over, Nuta City would be in danger.

Wildwind Highlands would be in danger too.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..." Lady Karol coughed incessantly after clinking glasses with Yan Xing and taking a small sip of the liquor. "What kind of alcohol is this? I’ve never had such a potent drink before! It feels like a ball of fire rolling from my mouth down to my stomach."

Perhaps it was the effects of the high alcohol content, but a faint blush arose under Lady Karol’s pale skin, making her look even more alluring.

It was time to show off. Yan Xing downed his entire glass in one go.

Smacking his lips to savor the flavor, he said, "This is our special high-proof liquor from Thunderous Swamp.

The drink of true heroes.

A cup in the morning keeps you spirited all day; a cup at night helps with sleep. A cup before meals whets the appetite, and a cup after aids digestion.

Especially when drunk during the autumn and winter seasons, it keeps you warm all day long."

Convinced by Yan Xing’s words, Lady Karol took another tentative sip.

Yan Xing said, "Drinking this strong liquor is different from enjoying red wine. With wine, you savor the taste; with liquor, you drink for the sensation...

You must down it in one gulp to feel the kick of the drink.

Cheers! After we finish, I’ll have someone show you to your room."

Taking Yan Xing’s advice, Lady Karol drank the entire glass in one swallow.

She took a deep breath in, then exhaled slowly. The alcohol’s strength made her a bit dazed.

Her eyes started to show the muddled look of one on the verge of drunkenness, and she became somewhat groggy.

Yan Xing gestured for a maid to come and lead the dizzy Lady Karol to see the rooms.

As the already tipsy Lady Karol staggered away, Count Theodore immediately said to Yan Xing, "Lady Karol is not as simple as you think. Letting her stay in the Envoy Mansion is far worse for you than any benefits you might gain from her."

Yan Xing handed the empty wine glass to a server to be taken away and then said to Count Theodore, "I know what you’re worried about, but rest assured...

Whether her moving in was a calculated move or simply an impulsive act, as long as you still acknowledge our relationship, our alliance remains unbreakable.

If she seeks to find a breakthrough with me, I’ll just play along. After all, dragging things out is to our advantage. The more her attention is on me, the easier your work will be."

With Yan Xing’s assurance, Count Theodore let go of the worries that had just arisen.

As long as Yan Xing stood firmly on his side, the more Lady Karol fixated on him, the better.

Hadn’t he let Yan Xing open the Envoy Mansion precisely to attract attention from all sides?