Chapter 184: I Can’t Learn Even If I Learn

The next morning, Prince Fu set out for Beijing. Prince Rui brought Huo Chen and Cui Yan to see him off, and Jiang Lan also came.

When he saw her in person, Cui Yan's cold and arrogant eyes revealed a look of contempt, as if he looked down upon her actions.

Jiang Lan also saw his look of disgust and felt a little uncomfortable. She didn't know if it was because he hated Qi Wuhan that he hated her as well, or because of something Changle said in front of him, or because of some rumors she heard. Anyway, she didn't have a good impression of him. He had beaten her eldest brother before and had never apologized to her eldest brother. She would remember him for the rest of her life for this incident and had never thought of asking him for help.

While Prince Rui and Prince Fu were talking, Jiang Lan quietly moved to Huo Chen's side and whispered "General Huo". Huo Chen took a step aside. Jiang Lan was a little embarrassed. She glanced at Prince Rui and quickly whispered, "General Huo, do you think the Marquis will defect to Beimo?"

Huo Chen frowned, a hint of anger flashing across his stern expression, and then he replied with two simple words, "No."

Jiang Lan was delighted, thinking that the other party would help her. Just as she was about to reveal her identity, she heard a cold snort filled with contempt.

"Marquis Jin'an has been missing for only a few months, and you're already in such a hurry to find his next home?" Cui Yan crossed his arms, looking down at him with a condescending attitude.

Jiang Lan turned her head and glanced at him, then retorted, "Don't put the blame on me. People with dirty hearts see everything as dirty."

"You!" Cui Yan's face turned pale with anger. He sneered and said, "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. It's not enough to just cling to the Third Prince, are you also looking for a talisman?"

"Did the princess tell you that?" Jiang Lan stared coldly at his arrogant eyes. Cui Yan was surprised when he heard her question, and then suddenly turned cold and warned, "Don't try to throw dirty water on Changle. If you don't behave yourself, don't blame others for gossiping."

"Really?" Jiang Lan sneered. "If you say that, your second sister will be thrown into the pig cage, right?"

Cui Yan's face suddenly turned extremely embarrassed. It was because he had personally seen Cui Jingshu in the same room with another man in Yipin Pavilion that he felt even more humiliated and angry. His voice suddenly rose, "Shut up!"

Hearing the words "shut up", Prince Rui and Prince Fu looked over and saw Cui Yan staring at Jiang Lan angrily, as if they were arguing. Prince Fu came over to mediate and said, "Why are you, a grown man, yelling at a girl? Can't you just say it nicely?"

"I still have to visit my father, so I'm sorry I can't see you off. Your Highness, take care on your journey." Cui Yan said and took his leave.

Prince Fu was about to ask Jiang Lan what was going on when Prince Rui came over and said, "It's getting late, Fifth Brother, you should set off as soon as possible."

"Your Highness, when you go back, could you please tell my father and elder brother that I'm fine and ask them not to worry." Jiang Lan asked earnestly.

Prince Fu readily agreed, "Don't worry, I will definitely pass on the message to you." He then said to Huo Chen, "When I return, I will ask my father to reward you."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. It is my duty, so there is no need to ask for permission." Huo Chen bowed and said, "Take care, Your Highness."

Prince Fu reluctantly mounted his horse and left with his accompanying guards and a hundred black-armored soldiers.

Seeing that it was the Black Armored Army escorting Prince Fu back, Jiang Lan felt a little surprised and a little confused. She couldn't tell how much of the brotherly love between Prince Rui and Prince Fu was true and how much of it was false.

"Your Highness, I will return to the military camp first." Huo Chen reported.

Prince Rui nodded, and Huo Chen took his leave.

"Let's go, take a walk with me."

Hearing that a war was about to break out, the merchants from the Western Regions left before the Northern Desert Army arrived. There was no blue-eyed or green-eyed foreigner to be seen in the city. Some people who came here to do business also returned to their hometowns for refuge. Many shops were closed, and there were not many vendors setting up stalls on the streets. It was less lively than usual, and it was a bit deserted even walking on the streets in broad daylight.

"Have you been here before?" King Rui asked casually.

Jiang Lan thought he probably already knew she had been to Northern Desert, so she probed again, "Why do you ask, Your Highness?"

"Nothing." Prince Rui chuckled and glanced around. "Why is it so deserted?"

"If there were no war, it would be as lively as usual," said Jiang Lan.

Prince Rui glanced at her and asked, "So who do you think will win this battle, this prince or that Prince Beimo?"

Why do you always like asking her this question?

"If Beimo wins, what good will it do to my father, my elder brother and me? I don't want to be a slave of a conquered country." Jiang Lan replied.

A strange look flashed across King Rui's face, as if he hadn't expected her to be so aware. "Then you should pray to the gods and pray that I can win."

That’s not necessary, Jiang Lanxin thought.

In fact, secretly, she didn't want Prince Rui to win the battle. It would be fine if it was Prince Fu. But if Prince Rui won, then it would be a sure thing for him to become the crown prince, and the ministers in the court would probably not have much objection.

If Prince Rui really inherits the throne in the end, then not only her family, but also her cousin's family, will have their lives and deaths in his hands, and she will probably never be able to escape from his control for the rest of her life.

In her selfish heart, she hoped that they could make peace without fighting. She didn't want him to get hurt, nor did she want him to regret, blame himself, or feel guilty when he remembered everything in the future...

"Your Highness, have you ever thought about sending someone to negotiate with the other side and see if you can resolve the conflict?"

Prince Rui chuckled, as if laughing at her naiveté. "It's only reasonable to talk to people." He raised the corners of his sardonic lips. "With a beast, of course, we have to beat it so that it never dares to show its teeth to humans again."

Jiang Lan felt extremely uncomfortable after hearing this and retorted, "Humans are human beings, not animals."

"But some people are even less intelligent than animals, and they don't know how to please their masters," Prince Rui sneered. "Like your Lordship, he even knows how to wag his tail in front of the Emperor to please him."

Jiang Lan clenched her fists and couldn't help but blurt out what was in her heart. "That's better than some people who can't please His Majesty and can't even learn."

King Rui's expression suddenly turned cold. He glanced at the city wall in front of him, and a cold and twisted smile appeared on the corner of his lips. "If I were to hang you on the city wall right now, do you think that mad dog would come to save you?"

"If Your Highness wants to humiliate me, there is no need to go through so much trouble. Just let His Majesty issue an imperial decree and list my ten major crimes in detail." Although Jiang Lan looked calm, she was already nervous in her heart. If she was really hung on the city wall for a day and a night, she didn't know if it would hurt the baby in her belly. She couldn't take the risk.

"Are you scared?" Prince Rui seemed to see through her nervousness beneath her calm appearance.

"If the rope is not tied tightly, and I fall from such a high city wall, I will be killed." For the first time, Jiang Lan admired her own smart brain so much. She could respond to situations with ease.

"You can only blame yourself for bad luck."

“…”

Why don't you play by the rules...

Jiang Lan felt that she would definitely be hung up, and she had to find a way to save herself quickly.

No, I can't pretend to be unconscious. If the military doctor takes my pulse, I'll be exposed.

Or say something nice, children are always more important than face.

She took a deep breath silently and apologized, "Your Highness is very generous. Don't argue with me, a little girl. Your Highness has a broad mind." She gritted her teeth and said, "You are kind-hearted."

Prince Rui sneered, "How shameless of you to say such a thing."

Jiang Lan endured it silently.

I thought I could endure it for a while and everything would be fine, but I was eventually taken to the city wall at night.

As the night deepened, the man had been hanging on the city wall for more than an hour.

"It seems that he won't come." King Rui glanced at the person next to him. Jiang Lan's calm expression was as deep and cold as the night. She didn't speak, her eyes fixed on the front, praying that he would not show up, because this was a trap.

The person hanging on the city wall was not her, but her hair was disheveled and her appearance could not be seen.

A dark shadow emerged from the night ahead.

King Rui narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze fell on the dark shadow, and curled the corners of his lips, "Here it comes."

Jiang Lan's heart tightened and she wanted to shout loudly, telling him not to come over, it was a trap.

"Shh." Prince Rui made a gesture to silence him. "Don't say anything. Think more about your elder brother."

The outline of the dark shadow gradually became clear, it was a man and a horse.

The man on the horse was wearing a black eagle mask, which shone coldly in the moonlight.

Jiang Lan watched him getting closer and closer, like a prey about to fall into a trap. She could no longer control herself and just as she opened her mouth to scream loudly, a hand suddenly pinched both cheeks.

"Choose him or your elder brother?" King Rui's cold eyes seemed to be poisoned, filled with a twisted desire for control.

At this moment, Jiang Lan really wanted to kill him with one blow...