The person behind her ignored her and pressed down on her, kissing her fiercely.

Chu Changning struggled and bit him in anger, her nails digging into his arm until blood seeped out.

Yan Beimo ignored her, grabbed her waist, and picked her up, pinning her against the door.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and used her knees to push him hard.

"There are people coming and going outside. Are you planning to put on a live sex show in front of everyone?"

Yan Beimo is gentle in public, but he's a complete madman in bed.

He chuckled softly and bit down on her collarbone.

"Let anyone who wants to eavesdrop listen."

Chu Changning, "---"

That damned beast deliberately let Helian Ye overhear.

Her eyes were red, and she bit her lip tightly, refusing to make a sound.

Yan Beimo was afraid of hurting the baby in her womb, so he was relatively gentle.

Actually, there were guards all around, so no one would break in.

Helian Ye glanced at the marching map in his hand a few times, then casually tossed it into the pond.

He walked around the large tent and heard low breathing inside, his devilish eyes turning somewhat deep.

He was about to step into the tent when he was blocked by a guard who appeared out of nowhere.

"Young Master, my lord is inside. Please find another place to rest."

"An armory?" Helian Ye sneered. "What is Marquis Yan doing in the armory in broad daylight? Anyone who didn't know better would think a thief had broken in."

The guards remained silent.

Chu Changning, who was inside, also heard the noise outside. Enraged, she pinched Yan Beimo's back hard, leaving several bloody marks.

Yan Beimo wasn't annoyed; he deliberately pinched her earlobe and kissed it.

Chu Changning covered her mouth, refusing to make a sound.

Actually, her voice was very low, but Helian Ye's internal strength was so profound that he could hear it even from the slightest breeze.

Yan Beimo was displeased with her behavior and said in a sinister tone, "Are you so afraid of him hearing this because you think I'm delaying your search for someone else?"

Chu Changning looked away and remained silent.

She felt a slight, persistent pain in her abdomen, but she endured it without uttering a sound.

Deep down, I thought viciously, "It would be best if it just flowed like this."

Seeing that she remained silent, Yan Beimo's usually gentle gaze suddenly turned sinister, his movements became wild and unrestrained, and his eyes and brows were full of the arrogance and swagger of a superior.

Chu Changning's forehead immediately broke out in a fine layer of cold sweat, and she couldn't help but clench his clothes tightly, kicking them until they were wrinkled.

Outside, Helian Ye kicked aside the guard, his hands wrapped in golden silk. But at that moment, the sound of weapons clashing suddenly came from not far away, and the sharp, piercing voice of the eunuch soared into the sky.

"Protect His Majesty! There are assassins! Assassins!"

"Quickly, carry the person into the main tent."

His expression turned cold, and he immediately leaped onto the top of the tent.

Yan Beimo also heard the ferocious roars of the beasts outside and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"My lord, something has happened at the hunting grounds."

The guards outside waited for a while, and then Yan Beimo, dressed in a snow-white robe, strode out from inside, carrying the person in his arms.

Chu Changning was wrapped tightly in his cloak, but his body was slightly curled up, making him look very uncomfortable.

When Shuangyue discovered that Chu Changning was missing, she rushed over to look for him and waited outside. Now that she saw him, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Take Madam back."

"promise."

Chu Changning was escorted all the way back to Huayang Palace.

Shuangyue noticed that something was wrong with her and wanted to call the imperial physician, but she refused.

"No need, please leave."

Shuangyue paused slightly, then immediately ordered someone to brew some medicine to prevent miscarriage, and she stayed by his side.

Chu Changning peeked through the gauze curtain a few times and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Why be so wary of her?

"You can leave now."

Shuangyue immediately knelt respectfully on the ground, "Madam, please forgive me, I am acting under orders."

After being tricked by her so many times, Shuangyue changed.

Chu Changning let out a long sigh and remained silent.

The palace door creaked open, and a palace maid walked in carrying a bowl of medicine.

"Madam, please take your medicine before you go to sleep."

The red silk curtains were lifted, and several palace maids knelt on the ground, holding golden cups, respectfully waiting for her to rise.

Chu Changning propped himself up and leaned against the bedside. "No need to kneel, get up."

The palace maids obediently stood up to serve.

After drinking the medicine and washing her hands, she ignored everyone and lay on the bed pretending to be dead.

After everyone had left, Shuangyue gently lowered the gauze curtains, lit some calming incense, and respectfully waited by her side.

An assassin has appeared in the hunting grounds, and an unidentified large beast has also attacked.

All the kings who went hunting were injured to varying degrees, especially the King of Qi, who was bitten by a ferocious beast and his life was in danger.

His Majesty was furious and ordered a thorough investigation, only to find that the assassins were all men of Prince An. Furthermore, someone suggested that a large number of Prince An's troops were stationed 800 li outside the city.

Leading troops back to Kyoto without His Majesty's decree is a grave offense.

But before he was even imprisoned, the King of Lingnan found evidence that the assassins in the hunting grounds were from the Li family of Longxi, who conspired with the King of Qi to frame the King of An. Even more so, the King of Qi had stationed 100,000 troops in the Xicheng camp, which was utterly despicable.

The princes are ambitious and have actually laid so many troops in ambush near the capital, causing panic throughout the court.

Inside the Imperial Study.

Shen Yan sat in the main seat, remaining silent.

The strategist standing below spoke frankly, "Judging from the current situation, the Prince of Lingnan has pledged allegiance to the Marquis of Yan. Once the Prince of An is exonerated, it will be difficult for His Majesty to find an opportunity to eliminate him."

Have the people of Nanzhao left?

"By order of His Majesty, everything has been taken care of, including the ferocious beasts that bit people."

Shen Yan's gaze was deep and unfathomable, his long, slender, pale fingers lightly tapping the table, lost in thought.

“Prince An has been entrenched in the east of the capital for decades, colluding with Marquis Yan. All thirteen capitals in the east of the capital have fallen into the hands of Marquis Yan. Once Marquis Yan takes over Beiyou, the border defenses of the east and west will be weak, and the capital of the Central Plains will be in grave danger.”

"I believe that Your Majesty must use the power of the powerful families to check and balance the Marquis of Yan. The Yan family has a firm grip on the Jiangdong regime, but internal strife within the Yan family is fierce. Yan Nanyan has always been dissatisfied with the Marquis of Yan, and this can be taken advantage of."

"Furthermore, the Western Regions and the Northern Desert are both eyeing us covetously. If the Central Plains descend into chaos, they will inevitably cause trouble. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider your actions."

After a long silence, Shen Yan spoke softly.

"I hereby issue an imperial edict to General Huo of the Beida Army Camp, ordering him to deploy 200,000 cavalry to guard the four official roads leading out of the capital."

"yes."

"Summon the important ministers to the Imperial Study for a meeting."

The news that the court officials had rushed into the palace in the middle of the night could not be kept from Yan Beimo.

Inside the study.

The strategist Zhong Yuan spoke in a steady voice, "His Majesty's scheme has exposed Prince An's troops. If the powerful families find out, it may be detrimental to our lord."

Yan Beimo said calmly, "Sir, please speak freely."

"It is not advisable to cause trouble now."

Let them stir up this mess themselves; the more chaotic, the better.

"Your Majesty intends to eliminate the Lord's right-hand men and use the powerful families to restrain him. However, Your Majesty is far away in the capital and has no idea how complex the interests among the princes of the North are. A single move can have far-reaching consequences."

Zhongyuan continued, "What Xuanyao said makes sense, but the eight princes of the North hold great military power. His Majesty will not kill them all at once. I'm just afraid that Prince Ding and Prince Qi will not be able to keep their tempers up."

Yan Beimo chuckled softly. The room was lit, illuminating his face in an inscrutable way.

No one dared to say anything more and fell silent.

"Pass down the notice: depart for Beiyou in two days."

"Prince Na'an--"

Yan Beimo took the cloak off the shelf and walked outside.

"He won't die."