Chapter 9 The Emperor Eats Melon

Outside the room, Xiao Yan waved his hand and all the palace maids retreated.

People who have experienced life and death have a deep fear of death. Facing Xiao Yan at this moment, the fear mixed with overwhelming hatred made her fingertips cold.

She suddenly shook off Xiao Yan's hand, rubbing her wrist that was gripped so hard it hurt. Her voice was deliberately raised, with a sense of alienation: "Your Highness, if you have any advice, please speak up! I am on duty before the Emperor now, and my time is precious. I cannot stay for long. Please ask Your Highness for permission to cancel the engagement immediately, and we will have nothing to do with each other from now on!"

[I will never trust that bastard again in this life! He was clearly secretly having an affair with Su Mingli a long time ago, yet he still keeps pestering me!]

Xiao Yan, however, seemed oblivious to the harshness in her words. Instead, he took a step forward, placing his hands on her frail shoulders. His tone was deliberately gentle, yet filled with a deceptively saddening sadness. "Ah Zhao, what's wrong with you? Are you still blaming me for not being able to arrive in time when the Duke's Mansion was in trouble the other day? At that time... I was indeed busy with urgent official business. When I freed myself and rushed over, I learned that my brother had already summoned you to the palace..."

[Official business? The 'official business' I discussed with Su Mingli in the warm room! It was so urgent, I'm afraid he didn't even have time to get dressed properly!]

Yun Zhao only felt a surge of evil fire rushing to the top of his head, and his forehead was throbbing.

If she hadn't been in the Forbidden Palace, if she hadn't been concerned about the swords of the Yun family hanging behind her, she would have wanted to pull out her hairpin and stab it into his heart right now!

"Your Highness is worrying too much! The Yun family was in jeopardy, whether it was life or death, and I never expected Your Highness to help. The day before yesterday, Your Majesty summoned me to the palace, but Your Highness disappeared without a trace? When the Yun family was in trouble, Your Highness avoided them as much as possible, not even offering a word of condolence! Have we ever had any affection for each other? Now we are just breaking off an engagement that has long been in name only. Why are you pretending to be so hypocritical?"

Xiao Yan seemed startled by her ruthless confession, then his expression darkened. "My surname is Xiao. How can I avoid suspicion when I'm in a suspicious situation? Ah Zhao, if you were truly in danger, how could I sit idly by? Heaven and earth can bear witness to my feelings!"

[Can Heaven and Earth bear witness? Will they bear witness to how you and Su Mingli colluded with each other?!]

Yun Zhao was extremely annoyed and felt that hearing another word would only pollute his ears.

She struggled to break free from his grip, took a step back, knelt down and saluted with quick and decisive movements: "If Your Highness has nothing else to do, I will take my leave! His Majesty is waiting for tea!" After saying that, she turned around and was about to leave.

[This bastard is so stubborn! I need to find another way to break off the engagement...]

"Ah Zhao!" Xiao Yan saw that she was determined to leave, and in his desperation, he blurted out, "How can you just break off the bond we've shared since childhood? I absolutely do not agree to breaking off the engagement!"

Yun Zhao didn't stop walking, sneering in his heart: [Bullshit favor!]

Seeing that she was about to leave, Xiao Yan knew that it was futile to pester her today, so he softened his tone and tested her with a hint of reluctance: "Think about it again... Ah Zhao, we..."

After saying that, he walked away very quickly.

[You bastard! I haven't even left yet, and you're already gone!]

[No, I have to take this game back. I'm so angry!]

Yun Zhao called out anxiously, "Your Highness?"

Hope instantly ignited in Xiao Yan's eyes, thinking she had changed her mind, and he hurriedly stepped forward: "A Zhao! Do you regret this?"

Yun Zhao blinked, looking innocent. "Ah? No. I just... forgot what I was going to say. Goodbye, Your Highness. I'll take my leave!"

[Tsk! You bastard! I'll frustrate you to death!]

Under the eaves in the dark, it was as black as ink.

Xiao Jin leaned against the pillar with his arms folded, and saw the "broken engagement scene" clearly.

Seeing Yun Zhao pretending to be stupid and running away like a rabbit at the end, the corners of his mouth twitched and he almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

Zhang Fuan hunched over, stifling a laugh, and muttered quietly, "Your Majesty, I really didn't realize... Miss Yun treats the King of Qin like she's avoiding the plague! It seems she really doesn't like him. Could it be..." He lowered his voice slyly, "that she's attracted to His Highness the Prince of Jin? What a pity..."

Xiao Jin's eyes were fixed on Yun Zhao's back. "What a pity?"

Zhang Fuan, with a look of "you know what I mean," offered an honest yet bold analysis: "It's a shame that no matter how good His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is, Miss Yun is now a member of Your Majesty's court. However, I've noticed that Miss Yun has a very lively personality... and it would be quite interesting to have her in the palace."

The hint of amusement on Xiao Jin's face instantly faded, replaced by a cold mask. His eyes were filled with a bottomless pool of darkness. "Interesting? Zhang Fuan, Yun Chongshan commands 200,000 border troops! I'm too afraid to even think about it! Do you think I'd keep such an 'interesting' person around?"

Zhang Fuan's smile froze, then he put on a smoother smile and whispered, "Your Majesty is wise! This old servant is dull. But... As long as Miss Yun is in the palace, the Yun family will be cautious, isn't it..."

"Hmph!" Xiao Jin interrupted him with a cold snort, his eyes piercing like ice spikes. "Don't I know? Do I need you to remind me?"

Zhang Fuan: "You old slave, you're too talkative! Shut up!"

Xiao Jin took a few steps before stopping again: "Send someone to investigate the relationship between Prince Qin and Su Mingli."

Zhang Fuan should be.

Xiao Jin thought of something else: "Wait, investigate secretly and bypass Zhou Si."

Zhang Fuan lowered his eyes and said, "Yes, I will arrange it right away!"

Early in the morning, Yun Zhao was awakened by a commotion outside the palace.

She rushed out and saw several eunuchs scrubbing the dark red bloodstains on the steps, and a body covered with a white cloth was being carried away.

Zhang Fuan commanded in a shrill voice: "Hurry up! You unlucky thing, how dare you climb onto the dragon bed in the middle of the night!"

Yun Zhao's legs went weak and he staggered back, his face pale.

[Being beaten to death for just climbing into bed? Too cruel!]

[A tyrant is a tyrant! He didn't kill anyone in just one day, and I thought he had changed!]

[Will I be carried out like this one day if I bring the wrong cup of tea?]

The pungent smell of blood mixed with the chill of the early morning chilled her heart.

Zhang Fuan saw her and rushed over, shouting, "Oh my dear! What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and serve tea! If His Majesty waits, even if we tie our heads together, it won't be enough to chop off!"

Yun Zhao suddenly came back to his senses: "Yes! I'll go right away!"

She trotted back to the tea room, her mind racing: the tyrant had just killed someone, and blood was seen before dawn. What he needed now was not to refresh himself, but to "relieve his energy"!

Well water, warm and peaceful Lu'an Guapian tea... It's late autumn now, and the tea shouldn't be too cold, nor too dry.

The purple clay teapot keeps the tea warm, so the first few brews should be poured in and out quickly, making the tea soup clear and not astringent.

A set of movements is smooth and can be completed in a quarter of an hour.

Wu Lingyu looked at him coldly: "Why did you choose this?"

Yun Zhao was unsure: "I just heard that His Majesty was angry... This tea is warm in nature, perhaps..."

Wu Lingyu interrupted, speaking with a profound tone, "Do you really think that His Majesty is angry because he's trying to get into bed with you?"

"What else?" Yun Zhao blurted out.

[Does a tyrant need a reason to kill people?]

Wu Lingyu didn't answer, but said coldly: "Think about it yourself. When serving in the emperor's presence, even ten thousand cautions are not enough! Yun Zhao, don't take yourself too seriously!"

Yun Zhao lowered his eyes, alarm bells blaring in his heart: In three months, this tyrant will be dead! I must stay alive!

As long as the Yun family has the military power in their hands, the King of Qin will not dare to act rashly!