Somewhere through the haze of rage, Luo Binghe knows she is taunting him intentionally. There's not even any proof that this is real, and he can't go digging around in Shen Yuan's memories himself without leaving Aornis' dream and forgetting his aim.

If he reacts too strongly, it will confirm that she only has to target Shen Yuan to get to him. It would endanger Shen Yuan. The dream-memory version peruses the welcome table materials, looking just as sweet and irresistible as in real life. Luo Binghe wants to strike Aornis down for touching his mind, but it is more important to keep her from doing worse once they both awaken.

Luo Binghe makes his face impassive and his voice cold.

"You are mistaken. I threatened you for troubling him not because he is significant, but because he is mine. In my own realm I have dozens of wives; I would protect each of them as fiercely." He dismisses Shen Yuan with a pang, and places himself on his throne in his full imperial garb, with six of his closest wives arranged around him. "Shen Yuan is not a new weakness. He is merely the latest person I have chosen. But I am a possessive man and I do not like to lose, so again: you will not escape my retribution." He manifests more Ghost-Head Spiders. They scuttle around Aornis, closing in on her.