Chapter 84: The Princess of the Lost Nation, Bai Yueguang 15: Keeping a Low Profile

Ji Hanlin returned to his bedroom, where only two palace maids were standing there obediently. He was always a man of few words, so he just gave a few instructions in a low voice and asked the palace maids to leave.

Soon, an old eunuch was brought in.

This personal eunuch, who had accompanied him from Dayan, should have remained by his side, but Emperor Xuanping had separated them, citing the need to select a palace maid versed in etiquette to serve the hostage. Ji Hanlin knew this move was deliberate, designed to prevent the two men, both from Dayan, from conversing privately.

And now, it is the rare time that Emperor Xuanping allows the two to meet.

"Your Highness," Eunuch Su bowed and asked with concern, "I haven't been here for a long time. I'm worried about your well-being. I wonder if you're getting used to being in the palace."

Ji Hanlin glanced at him calmly, then replied, "Everything is fine. Food, clothing, and daily necessities are all provided. There is no inconvenience at all."

Looking at the young man's cold eyes, Eunuch Su sighed slightly in his heart. He had watched him grow up since he was a child, and he knew that Ji Hanlin had many hidden things that were unknown to others.

Then, he remembered something, took a step forward, and tentatively asked, "By the way, Your Highness, I heard that you and Princess Zhaohua have been...quite close recently?"

Hearing this, the young man's eyes narrowed, as if a taut string had been touched. He did not answer immediately, but slowly put down his teacup and said, "Is this gossip circulating in the palace?"

"It was... this old servant who inquired about it." Eunuch Su's heart tightened, and he leaned forward to explain, "I dare not presume to speculate on Your Highness's thoughts. I am simply worried about You. After all, you are now in a foreign country, and your every move is being watched... If any untoward rumors really get out, I am afraid it will bring trouble to Your Highness."

Ji Hanlin remained silent.

Seeing that he still looked indifferent, Eunuch Su hesitated for a moment, then said in a more serious tone:

"Your Highness, please forgive me for saying so much, but being too close to Princess Zhaohua may not be a good thing. She is the most beloved princess of Emperor Xuanping and holds a very high status."

He paused, then sighed, "Your Highness, please remember that you are the prince of Dayan and will eventually return to Dayan. The two countries may appear to be on good terms now, but such diplomatic relations have never been stable and long-lasting. If there is any further disturbance, disputes may arise again. If that happens, how will you and Princess Zhaohua cope with the situation?"

"so what?"

Ji Hanlin understood all these principles. His expression remained unchanged. He picked up the teacup and took a sip, with a half-smile on his face.

Eunuch Su knew that the young man was intelligent and didn't want to beat around the bush, so he said bluntly, "If Your Highness needs help with your marriage, I've considered it for you. If Your Highness wants to gain a firm foothold in Dayan..."

He uttered a proposal he had been pondering for a long time: "The eldest daughter of the current Great Yan State Guardian General is of the same age as Your Highness. Her father commands a 200,000-man frontier army and has defended the northwest for many years, holding immense prestige. If Your Highness can marry into the State Guardian Mansion, it would be equivalent to controlling half of the power in the court. This would be the most helpful aid for Your Highness's future advancement and even further advancement."

Having said this, Eunuch Su lowered his voice again, as if he was afraid that there were ears on the other side of the wall.

"This old servant has learned from my spies that the eldest daughter of the Great General is already of marriageable age, but none of the noble sons of Dayan seem to be of interest to her. That's because... her maids say that she loves you, Your Highness."

Hearing this, the young man paused and looked at Eunuch Su with an extremely strange look. His calm tone revealed his speechlessness: "I don't know her."

Well... Eunuch Su smiled meaningfully. "When she first returned to the capital to attend a banquet, she got lost in the palace, and it was Your Highness who took her to the front hall. From that day on, she has admired Your Highness."

This reason made Ji Hanlin silent for a moment.

Her slender fingers grasped the edge of the teacup, but there was no emotion in her eyes.

The young man's face was calm, and his heart was extremely cold. He had no recollection of having done such a thing. Maybe he just did it casually at the time.

For him in the past, marriage was just a transaction, a bargaining chip.

Growing up in the deep palace, Ji Hanlin had witnessed countless couples who were "in harmony" but turned against each other when their interests turned against each other. He had also seen countless gentle and docile women who turned into sinister and vicious people in the blink of an eye. In the final analysis, it was because they were sent to the palace by their fathers, brothers and families in exchange for a moment of honor and power.

The intrigues, the undercurrents of calculation and betrayal had long since worn away any tenderness in his heart. Ji Hanlin distrusted true feelings, let alone love. In his eyes, there was no such thing as pure emotion; all feelings could be exploited, betrayed, and consumed.

Therefore, he had secretly imagined his future in his mind countless times. If one day he talked about marriage, Ji Hanlin would never choose someone on a whim.

On the contrary, he would choose the partner who could best serve him and help him to go further and more steadily. Her status, family background, and the power behind her were what he valued most.

Affection? That's the least valuable thing.

And now…

Everything has changed since I came to Xuanping.

I already have someone I like.

What came to mind at that moment was the look on that proud girl's face when she looked up. Although she pretended to be calm, the moment he came even slightly closer, she would panic, her ears and neck tinged with red, like unopened peach blossoms in spring, bright and delicate.

Thinking of Wen Qianning, when the power and bargaining chips he had always pursued overlapped with that smile, Ji Hanlin suddenly felt a moment of emptiness.

However, he had no intention of expressing these thoughts to Eunuch Su yet. The young man's mind was as deep as the sea, and he knew that he was still biding his time and was far from ready to completely seize power.

The world is ever-changing and the court is like a chess game. He must be able to endure time and loneliness until all the chips are in his hands, so that he can truly control his own destiny.

Before that, he would not easily entrust the secrets in his heart to anyone.

But there is one thing that Ji Hanlin has already secretly vowed in his heart... That little princess who is held in the palm of his hand, born of golden branches and jade leaves, if one day he reaches the top of the ninth heaven, he will let her stand by his side openly, be the focus of the people, and enjoy all the honors and favors in the world.

"Well, it's too early to talk about in-laws now. I know my limits."

Ji Hanlin's face showed no emotion at all, and the light outlined cold and hard lines on his handsome profile.

The young man's tone was neither light nor heavy. Eunuch Su knew that his prince had always been like this since he was a child, calm and sensible. Seeing that he did not refute him in person, he must have listened to him, so he felt relieved.

After a moment of silence, Ji Hanlin raised his eyes and asked again, "I haven't received any letters from the capital in a long time. I wonder...how is Dayan doing recently?"

Haven’t received any letter from Dayan?

Eunuch Su was stunned for a moment, then he understood and thought to himself that the Emperor of Dayan really didn't care about the life or death of this prince at all, and he was not even willing to do the face-saving thing of sending someone to deliver a letter.

He only recognized Ji Hanlin as his master, so naturally he disliked his father who had not fulfilled his responsibilities, and secretly spat at Emperor Dayan.

But on the surface, Eunuch Su was still from Dayan, so he didn't dare to say anything. So he could only bow and reply, "The court of Dayan has been in constant turmoil these days."

Then he began to talk.

"A considerable cache of weapons was discovered in the Second Prince's residence. Someone reported that he was secretly recruiting assassins and plotting something treacherous. Furious, His Majesty had him immediately imprisoned, stripped of his clan membership, and demoted to a commoner."

Hearing this, the noble young man sitting upright on the chair did not change his expression. He raised his hand to pick up the teacup again, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly.

Eunuch Su paused, then continued, "The Third Prince has been restless lately. It was revealed that he secretly embezzled disaster relief funds and sent them to the treasury of his maternal relatives. Although there's no solid evidence, His Majesty already harbors a grudge. Now, the Third Prince rarely leaves his house, and everyone in the court says he's lost the Emperor's favor."

At this point, his voice dropped a few degrees. "The only ones who can still be active in the capital are the First and Fourth Princes. Although the First Prince is the crown prince, he is too weak and often restrained by the ministers. The Fourth Prince is brave and courageous, but he has only strength and no strategy. In addition, he comes from a humble background and his mother's family is weak, so he can't compete with the several major families in the court. In the current situation... anything is possible."

Ji Hanlin listened quietly, the candlelight flickering and falling into his dark pupils.

"Heh..." He suddenly chuckled, a chill spreading across his thin lips, "What a wonderful show."

Eunuch Su raised his head and saw a hint of extremely hidden coldness flashing in the depths of his eyes, which made him feel a chill in his heart.

He put down his teacup and spoke slowly, "They fought to the death, but my father never mentioned me, a hostage in a foreign country. If it weren't for Eunuch Su reminding me today that I would have to return to Dayan sooner or later, I would have even doubted whether the capital had already forgotten me, the prince."

The tone was indifferent, revealing undisguised sarcasm.

"Your Highness..." Eunuch Su hesitated to speak, thinking about how to comfort him.

Before he could finish his words, Ji Hanlin waved his hand nonchalantly: "But, that's fine."

"I was sent to Xuanping as a hostage. On the surface, this meant I didn't enjoy the Emperor's favor, but on the other hand, it also allowed me to avoid the bloody chaos of the capital. Those brothers, who prided themselves on their intelligence, scrambled for power, each one anxious and murderous. Now, my second brother has been deposed, and my third brother has lost power... In the future, who knows how many more will sacrifice their lives for the throne."

"And I," he said in a low, soft voice, "stay away from the capital, stay out of trouble, and I can actually protect myself and watch them fight it out."

"Wait until they've exhausted their strength and shed blood, then return to Dayan... and reap the benefits."

When the last sentence came out, Eunuch Su felt an inexplicable chill.

Looking up at the young prince, outsiders would never imagine that beneath this elegant and peaceful appearance, the man in front of them harbors such deep scheming and ambition.

After a moment, Eunuch Su cautiously responded, "Your Highness is absolutely right, but... Your Highness, you must be more cautious. Although Emperor Xuanping treats you with great courtesy, his mind is unpredictable. Your Highness's most important priority right now is to protect yourself. As long as we can return to Dayan safely, all our plans will be successfully concluded."

"Don't worry, Eunuch Su, I know what I'm doing." Ji Hanlin smiled faintly.

Now he really doesn't need to rush or take action.

Just wait until the time is right.

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