Chapter 29: This palace? A slut in the boudoir? "I can help you...

"Tell me, what do you want to do? What can I do to help you?"

Song Youning paused, looking into his eyes, and suddenly wanted to dodge. She turned her gaze to where she was and said, "No rush."

She stood up and walked towards the carved window, deliberately avoiding his scorching gaze.

She flicked the gauze curtain between her fingers, her eyes swept over the people whispering downstairs, and her peripheral vision passed over the storyteller like a bamboo joint, and an idea instantly came to her mind.

"I heard that something was unearthed in the City God Temple on the outskirts of Wuzhou, predicting who will inherit the throne. Why don't you go and take a look for me?"

Seeing that she avoided his gaze, Xiao Lin was too lazy to argue with her. He found a soft couch, leaned lazily on it, and found a comfortable position to lie down beautifully.

He said lazily: "Oh!"

He dragged out his tone: "Your Highness has never believed in ghosts and gods..."

"How could it be..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly sat up straight, as if he was thinking about something... Where will the emperor's daughter go?

Seeing this, Song Youning pursed her lips and smiled, "Yes, it is the Emperor's daughter's fate. I want you, the Prince of Zhenbei, to be a witness in person!"

Xiao Lin stood up from the couch: "If this treasure predicts the position of the empress..." Xiao Lin's eyes lit up: "This is a big deal. As the prince of Zhenbei, although I am not a member of the royal family, I also eat the emperor's salary. Since I happen to be in Wuzhou, of course I must go and verify it for Your Majesty..."

He suddenly jumped up from the couch and tried to rush out of the private room. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and saw Song Youning leaning against the window with his eyes closed, resting, with a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"Your Highness..."

His slender fingers snapped crisply in front of her: "You have to wait for me to come back... otherwise I can't guarantee the authenticity of the contents on this jade!"

The last syllable of his voice rose, his eyes swept across Li Funing who was drinking tea calmly, and his tone was flamboyant with his usual flamboyance.

Song Youning leaned against the window and raised her eyes, gently advising him, "Then I will wait for good news from Master Xiao..."

After getting Song Youning's promise, Xiao Lin left the private room with satisfaction.

Xiao Lin left for a while and the private room was silent.

"Princess, are you using Xiao Lin?" Li Funing's voice broke the silence in the room.

Li Funing stroked the bottom of the teacup with his fingertips. The Junshan Yinzhen tea in the cup slowly expanded under the brewing of hot water. He gently blew away the hot air on the cup.

Song Youning sat sideways on the carved railing, watching Xiao Lin's cheerful figure disappear in the teahouse.

She slowly said, "I just asked him to help me deal with some things. How can you say he's using me?"

She suddenly turned to face him, her eyes meeting his scrutinizing gaze. She spread her arms and leaned them against the window sill, her tone high and mighty, "Master Li, do you think this is not possible?"

"If Lord Li feels it's inappropriate, I don't mind if you replace him..."

Li Funing looked at Song Youning's raised chin in front of him. The look in his eyes was clearly that of a hunter locking onto his prey, without any trace of the naiveté of a young girl.

She continued, "The Li family has three dukes for four generations, and every county is filled with Li family disciples and staff. I think it won't be difficult to build momentum for this princess."

She leaned against the railing with her arms folded across her chest, looking at him with a smile: "Are you right, Master Li?"

Li Funing sat upright on a stool, chuckling softly upon hearing this. He slowly placed the cup in his hand on the table and looked up at her: "The princess has the largest intelligence network in all of Dagan. How could she be interested in a small Li family?"

Song Youning pretended to be thoughtful, and said in a long tone, "Master Li knows..."

She walked in slowly, her eyes shimmering with undercurrents: "This palace is still young and there are many things I cannot do openly..."

Song Youning walked behind him, placed a pair of soft and boneless hands on his shoulders, lowered her head and rubbed his ears, causing him to itch: "So this palace... can only trouble Master Li..."

"Since I'm so pitiful...why don't Lord Li help me?" Her eyes were as soft as water, and she looked at him affectionately.

Li Funing turned his head sharply, trying to avoid it.

He hated seeing her looking at him like that. His neck was tense from the intense movement. He deliberately changed the subject: "Princess, you sent Xiao Lin away. Does that mean you don't trust him?"

He clenched his hands tightly in his sleeves, trying his best to suppress the desires in his body, but he couldn't suppress the increasingly intense heat behind his ears.

"Princess..."

His voice was hoarse, his Adam's apple moved slightly, and the warm breath mixed with the faint fragrance of his body followed him like a shadow, lingering on the tip of his nose: "Aren't you afraid that I will betray you?"

"I'm not afraid!" Song Youning answered firmly, moving closer and closer.

"I know you won't," she said, her red lips parted slightly, her breath like a venomous snake's tongue, rubbing against his ears: "And..."

Her fingertips slowly moved down along his Adam's apple, and she rested her chin on Li Funing's neck, feeling his warm and flushed body.

"I also know that Lord Li will definitely help me, if..." Song Youning stopped talking, and the sharp armor stopped steadily on Li Funing's carotid artery.

"What if?" Li Funing suddenly felt a chill on his neck, his Adam's apple rolling, and he asked.

Song Youning smiled calmly and loosened the grip in his hands.

Just when Li Funing thought she was about to let go, he suddenly got a firm grip on her fair neck. Her warm cheek suddenly pressed close to his ear, and she whispered like a ghost: "If Lord Li really ever betrays me one day..."

"Although I cannot bear to attack Lord Li,... the more than 300 people in the Li Mansion... can only pay the price for Lord Li's ignorant behavior..."

She suddenly withdrew her hand, stood up, moved away from his body, and threw out a secret letter from her sleeve.

"Do you think that with the help of the Li family, you can find out my commoner identity?" Li Funing looked at the secret letter he sent to investigate Song Youning, and his pupils suddenly shrank.

He looked at the letter and said slowly: "Your Highness, did you do this on purpose?"

At some point, a hint of rust appeared in my throat.

Suddenly he realized that it was no wonder that he had only found out her identity as "Golden Branch Prince" after so many attempts.

But now she got the account book of the elusive Gan Mansion so easily. It was obvious that she was holding the bait and deliberately luring him into the game.

Li Funing stared into her eyes, which were familiar yet he had never understood them before, and sighed softly, "What does Your Highness want me to do?"

Seeing that he agreed to compromise, Song Youning didn't want to make things too difficult for him.

She sat on a stool opposite Li Funing, tapping the table with her fingertips, and said nonchalantly, "It's nothing serious. I just want you to spread these eight words, 'Phoenix sings in the nine heavens, the heroine rules the world,' through the Li family's disciples, so that those sour scholars in the Hanlin Academy will all believe that my succession to the throne is destined by heaven..."

Li Funing pondered for a long time and slowly said, "I thought... Your Highness never cared about these things..."

Seeing his expression, Song Youning didn't want to hide it from him and said frankly, "I don't care..."

"But I can't let anyone talk about me right now, so I have no choice but to trouble the Li family..."

"Wait for me... in the future," she raised her eyebrows and looked at him with a hint of calculation: "After I sit firmly on the throne and truly gain power, I will take you as my husband..."

"From now on, the Li family will be my retainers... I promise that your Li family will enjoy eternal honor and favor..."

"but....."

She suddenly changed the subject, stood up from her chair, and approached him step by step, her eyes stern: "I want Lord Li to personally investigate the relationship between Li Xiang and Su Wan... If Li Xiang really dares to betray the royal family... and ally with the Grand Tutor, I want you to kill your relatives for the sake of justice..."

Li Funing's breathing became disordered, and his back bent straight under his official robe. He looked into her eyes and saw himself in her eyes, like a trapped beast entangled in golden threads.

He looked at her in disbelief.

Her eyes grew increasingly fierce, carrying an undeniable threat: "Master Li, remember..."

"I can grant your Li family immense wealth and I can also promise Lord Li my true love for a lifetime, but Lord Li..." Her voice was as light as a falling feather.

"Don't really think I'm a secluded nymphomaniac..." Her sharp nails dug into his skin.

"If Prime Minister Li truly harbors rebellious intentions... I will have Lord Li kill him personally. This is my bottom line..."

Two hours later, in the private room of the teahouse, the scent of sandalwood curled up in the air and the sky gradually darkened.

Song Younian picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and moved the tip of the pen across the rice paper, recording the landscapes of Wuzhou City in "Da Gan Fengwu Zhi" with a calm expression.

Li Funing, who was standing beside her, remained silent, with his eyes lowered, not daring to look her in the eye.

"This prince is back!"

Xiao Lin pushed the door open and walked in, exhausted. There was still dust from the suburbs on his clothes, but his eyes could not hide his excitement.

Song Younian didn't stop writing, she just raised her eyes slightly and saw Xiao Lin directly picked up the whole pot of cold tea and poured it into his mouth. He didn't look like a young master from a wealthy family at all, but she didn't care, she did the same.

Xiao Lin finished his cold tea, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and plopped down on the soft couch next to Song Youning, panting: "I'm so tired. The suburbs of Wuzhou are really far away. I almost broke the hooves of my Ferghana horse..."

Song Youning put down his wolf-hair brush and closed the "Dagan Fengwuzhi" in front of him: "What did you find out?"

Xiao Lin lay down and talked, "This Wuzhou... this is strange!"

"On my way back to the capital, this prince heard about the City God Temple on the outskirts of Wuzhou and its promises. Thinking that war was imminent, I went to pay my respects. Unexpectedly, I saw a jade stone falling from the sky. Inscribed on the jade stone were the characters 'Phoenix sings in the sky, and women rule the world.' Not only is it invulnerable to lightning and fire, it's also indestructible by swords..."

"Now the people of Wuzhou are rushing to kneel down and worship, saying that this is God's will..."

Xiao Lin's gaze flicked to Song Youning, hinting, "I think your Highness's succession to the throne is what Heaven desires and what the people want!"

Hearing this, Song Youning was naturally satisfied. She raised her chin slightly and looked at him with a smile: "Oh? Then according to your opinion, what should I do?"

"Of course it's to follow God's will and inherit the throne!" Xiao Lin responded.

"Oh?" Song Youning seemed to be thinking about something, then put on a humble face. "Prince Xiao has done me a great favor. Tell me! How would you like me to reward you?"

Xiao Lin waved his hand and retorted, "Eh, Your Highness, although we are childhood sweethearts, this jade has nothing to do with Your Highness. This is the will of heaven, so how can it be a reward?"

Song Younian chuckled, and his gaze turned to Li Funing again. His eyes shifted and fell on him meaningfully: "The prince is still sensible!"

"Indeed...you are more capable than I thought."

After a bumpy journey, the group returned to the capital again. Because someone was eager to have her return to the capital, the journey was smoother than before.

As soon as the three of them arrived outside the city, the city gates were opened and all the officials lined up to welcome them. The Grand Tutor stood at the head of all the officials, waiting for her to return to the capital.

The road was bumpy and rugged. Song Youning was in a playful mood and simply abandoned the carriage and rode in on horseback. Xiao Lin and Li Funing also followed her interest and joined her.

Chuntao and the people from the bookstore drove behind, carrying the interesting things they had found from various places.

Song Youning was dressed in a red riding suit, with his hair tied up in a feather crown, looking like a handsome general, as he entered the city.

Although she was a girl, her years of wandering had given her a certain unruly youthfulness. Furthermore, as a woman, her features were more delicate than those of an average man. With bright eyes, white teeth, and rosy lips, many young women along the way fell in love with her and inquired about the family of this young general.

The carriage behind her was loaded with countless rare treasures, including lychee wine from Lingnan, rouge red from Wuzhou, and red plum cake from Yijiang County. In total, it filled five large carriages, and she followed them into the city.

The jade pendant on her waist jingled, and in her hand she was shaking a half-finished pot of pear blossom wine.

When the procession returning to the palace reached Zhuque Street, guards suddenly carried out more than ten lacquer boxes.

As the lid of the box was opened, the lychees from Lingnan were still covered with morning dew, the silks from Jiangnan were shining, and the wines from the Western Regions were rippling in the glass bottles. They were all local specialties hand-picked by the princess during her inspections along the way.

"Thanks to your grace, Your Highness, these items have been given to the common people along the way, so that they can enjoy the happiness of family life with Your Highness!" The captain of the guards shouted loudly, and the people along the road gathered around.

The guards distributed the treasures.

The white-haired old woman knelt down tremblingly while holding the brocade from the south of the Yangtze River, and the young child smiled with his eyes curved as he held grapes from the western regions in his mouth.

A scholar in the crowd clapped his hands and sighed, "The princess is searching for the common people in the capital, yet she still remembers them. This is the true demeanor of an imperial daughter!"

She chuckled softly, her dimples sparkling. "These items are all local specialties that I've searched for from all over the place. There are lychees from Lingnan, rouge from Wuzhou, and red plum cakes from Yijiang County. They're all the people's blood and sweat, so I'm just promoting them... If anyone finds them useful or good, please share them with the people in other towns..."

There was thunderous cheering on Zhuque Street, and people bowed down in worship.

The old man was in tears, the children were chasing each other and playing with colorful silks, the merchants spontaneously beat the Taiping drum, and the whole capital was immersed in a wave of celebration.

The Jinwu Guards had to use a human wall to separate the increasingly surging crowd, and the entire imperial city was responding to this unconventional grand carnival.

"Your Highness, this is unreasonable!" The Grand Tutor led all the civil and military officials to kneel by the road and admonish.

She looked at the serious Grand Tutor Chen and felt disappointed. She bought it with her own money and distributed it to the people in the capital. How could it bother him?

She handed the wine jug to the Grand Tutor and said, "Master Chen, would you like a sip? You are old, and it's very cold today. Would you like some warm wine to warm you up?"

Grand Tutor Chen avoided him with a sullen expression, and Song Youning was too lazy to pay attention to him.

Turning to look at the Minister of Works standing beside him, he said, "Hey, who's that? How's the construction of my Fengya Pavilion going? You promised it would be big enough to accommodate three hundred nobles to compete in poetry and drink with me. Don't cut corners for me, or I'll tear down your mansion... and build a wine shop!"

The Minister of Works, sweat dripping from his forehead, hurriedly explained, "Your Highness, as you wish, the Fengya Pavilion has been built within the palace as per your request."

"It's very close to His Highness's bedroom, just a few steps away. According to His Highness's instructions, a glazed skylight has been installed on the roof... There's a wine stand on one side of the room, specifically for the fine wine His Highness has found outside the palace..."

Song Youning nodded with satisfaction: "Well done!"

She added, "Since the Minister is so attentive, I think we are of the same mind. So, I will grant you a favor. If you are free, you can come to Fengya Pavilion and have some fun... How do you think?"

His finger suddenly pointed at a few students standing in a row in the distance who were studying for the Imperial Examination. "Not only the children of the nobility, but also those poor students who are about to become scholars or have not yet become scholars can also come together?"

Xiao Lin chuckled softly as he stood behind him. Li Funing turned his face away silently. Although he knew that she was pretending in front of the Grand Tutor, wasn't this act a little too wanton?

This isn't a princess of a country at all. She looks more like a drunk scoundrel who just came out of a brothel!

The Grand Tutor, the head of all officials, finally lost his patience and said, "Your Highness! Please pay attention to the reputation of the royal family..."

"I know, I know. Women rule the world. I'll be a good ruler... a good ruler!"

She casually threw the empty wine jug to Xiao Lin, who was laughing at the side, and suddenly said seriously: "Am I not helping the people of the world to relieve their worries? This is my world..." In the blink of an eye, her cynical smile returned.

"Wine is a good thing. A drink can relieve all worries. When I succeed to the throne, all the people in the Dagan area will make wine for me..."

The Grand Tutor's gray beard was shaking with anger: "Your Highness! This is a matter of national importance, how can you do this..." He started coughing violently before he finished speaking, and the attendants beside him hurriedly supported him.

Song Youning leaned on his horse and said with concern: "Don't be anxious, Grand Master. If you get angry, something bad will happen to you."

She suddenly lowered her voice, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes, "Father is going to beat me again, what should I do..."