Chapter 28 – Panic Sparks Ingenuity

“Miss Jiang, watch your words.” Lu Qian’s calm voice hovered above Jiang Xiyue’s head, but the force in her fingers was far less gentle than her tone suggested.

Jiang Xiyue was genuinely afraid Lu Qian might gouge out her eyeballs in a fit of rage. She rolled desperately to the side—only to slam her head hard against the leg of a nearby stool with a loud thud. Lu Qian’s lips curved slightly at the sight. She simply picked up her outer robe, draped it over herself, chose a clean stool, crossed her legs, and asked: “I assume Miss Jiang has figured out how to return that thing to me. I won’t waste words. You should understand—I won’t let you touch it unless you use the final condition.”

Jiang Xiyue was still clutching her aching forehead and hissing in pain. Hearing this, she lifted her head to glare at Lu Qian: “Are you really that worried about leaving the last condition with me?”

Lu Qian adjusted the edge of her robe to block Jiang Xiyue’s wandering gaze from slipping toward her chest. She sneered back: “Does Miss Jiang truly believe there’s anything about her that could put my mind at ease?”

Jiang Xiyue felt a pang of awkwardness but knew Lu Qian was speaking the truth. If their positions were reversed, she wouldn’t trust Lu Qian with such leverage either. Still—she couldn’t accept letting all her hard work go to waste. Was she really supposed to let Lu Qian walk away just like that?

Her eyes swept Lu Qian from head to toe. When they lingered on the exposed jade-white cleavage and those long, slender crossed legs, she couldn’t help swallowing hard. The cock between her thighs instantly swelled another size.

For a noble young lady to be this openly lustful—Lu Qian was truly impressed. She leaned slightly toward Jiang Xiyue: “I’ll count to three. If you still can’t decide, we end things here today. As for whether you’ll ever get to fuck me again…”

Lu Qian’s lips curved faintly, but she left the sentence unfinished. She raised one slender index finger: “One…”

Jiang Xiyue panicked instantly. Lu Qian had only loosely tied her robe. As she leaned forward, the wide collar gaped open, revealing a pair of towering snow-white breasts and the mysterious valley between them. Through the gap, the flat plane of her abdomen was faintly visible. In an instant Jiang Xiyue’s cock throbbed so violently it slapped against her own belly.

Lu Qian noticed but pretended not to. Slowly she raised a second finger: “Two…”

Jiang Xiyue was torn. That surnamed-Lu was definitely doing this on purpose—so skilled at seduction, every accusation Jiang Xiyue had ever hurled at her turned out to be true!

Lu Qian’s gaze flowed over her. She saw Jiang Xiyue’s ear tips flush red from anxiety. Slowly [read the original at bailiantales.com]she lifted a third finger, thin lips parting: “…”

“Wait!” Jiang Xiyue grabbed that finger in a flash. Lu Qian looked back at her without surprise—only to hear the spoiled noble daughter blurt out in a moment of desperate inspiration: “I won’t use the condition—but I can have your two nieces from Tongzhou brought back!”

Lu Qian’s brows arched in genuine surprise. This counter-offer was completely outside her expectations. Still unmoved, she replied: “My sister’s children—I will retrieve them myself in time.”

But now Jiang Xiyue’s mind seemed to have sharpened. She shot back: “You probably don’t know—the Xu family was officially charged with smuggling private salt, but in reality they were implicated in the case of the Third Prince colluding with enemy states. That’s why the entire household was raided. The Emperor didn’t want the scandal to grow too large, so he gave the small fry a light sentence of exile. Do you really think he would easily allow anyone connected to that case to return? Especially your two nieces—they’re legitimate Xu daughters. Trying to bring them back on your own would be harder than ascending to heaven.”

Lu Qian stared at the finger still gripping hers. Her long phoenix eyes narrowed as she considered. Jiang Xiyue pressed her advantage: “Even going to the Crown Prince’s household wouldn’t help. The Third Prince and the Crown Prince were mortal enemies—he would never assist you. Ninghai Marquis won’t work either; his family has almost no influence in Tongzhou. They can’t touch that place.”

With that, Jiang Xiyue had said everything. Lu Qian let out a soft laugh: “So in other words—only the Duke’s household has real power in Tongzhou?” Her free hand brushed Jiang Xiyue’s cheek. She tsked in mock admiration: “I never expected that in your desperation you’d actually get clever.”

Jiang Xiyue irritably swatted Lu Qian’s hand away: “I’ll have people secretly swap out the two children and bring them here. Then I’ll find a way to kill those two beasts from the Xu family to avenge your sister. Will this exchange cancel the last condition?”

Lu Qian’s lips curved into a smile. She suddenly scooped Jiang Xiyue up from the floor and pulled her close—foreheads almost touching. Her voice turned low and suggestive: “After all this, how could I possibly refuse? I never expected Miss Jiang would go to such lengths… just for me.”

The last few murmured words nearly melted Jiang Xiyue’s bones. Lu Qian rolled them both onto the embroidered bed. In a few swift motions she stripped away Jiang Xiyue’s clothes, grasped her swollen cock, and prepared to sink down onto it.

“Wait!” Jiang Xiyue stopped her. Meeting Lu Qian’s puzzled gaze, she blushed furiously: “I want to be on top!”

Lu Qian actually laughed out loud this time. She gave Jiang Xiyue a teasing look, then flipped their positions in one smooth motion. Jiang Xiyue spun dizzily and ended up straddling Lu Qian. The other woman said slyly: “Fine. Then Miss Jiang can take the lead—if you still have the strength.”