Ye Qianning glanced back, a smug smile playing on her lips. She had long seen through Nangong Manyu's little tricks.
However, getting close to Nangong Qing and cooperating with them is not impossible, since her mission is to keep the Nanning royal family from having peace.
Hearing footsteps, Nangong Qing assumed it was Nangong Manyu. Servants rarely entered the study, a place of great importance, so he didn't even raise his head before speaking.
"Manyu, stop fooling around. I'm going back to the palace tomorrow to handle state affairs. You should go back today too. You don't need to stay here and take care of me."
"Your Highness, it's me..."
He knew who it was as soon as he heard that charming voice.
"Princess Qianning, it's you! Where is Manyu?"
Ye Qianning poured Nangong Qing a cup of tea and then helped him grind the tea: "The Fifth Princess is not feeling well, so she asked me to bring tea to the Third Prince. The Third Prince understands what the Fifth Princess meant, right?"
Manyu was fine in the morning, but suddenly felt unwell and even let Ye Qianning in. The meaning was so obvious that Nangong Qing could understand it.
“Princess Qian Ning, my little sister is naughty, you don’t need to pay her any attention.”
Ye Qianning smiled faintly, finished grinding the ink beside Nangong Qing, and stepped aside.
"The Fifth Princess is very kind, but if I leave now, they will find other ways to let me in. Third Prince, do you mind if I sit here for a while?"
With Ye Qianning appearing so gentle, what reason did Nangong Qing have to refuse her?
"Princess, please make yourself at home."
"Okay! May I read the book?"
Nangong Qing: "Please do as you wish!"
With such a beauty as Ye Qianning here, she refused to believe that Nangong Qing would remain unmoved by her. Apart from Ye Beihan, no one in this world had ever been able to escape her gentle embrace.
She stood up and walked back and forth in front of Nangong Qing twice, but the man didn't even glance at her. Bored, she went to the bookshelf to find a book to pass the time.
There was nothing wrong with the books, but a rabbit lantern on the desk caught her attention. How could Nangong Qing, a grown man, like something that a young woman would like?
They even made a special stand for it, using the finest golden nanmu wood; the stand alone is more valuable than the lantern.
Just as she was about to reach out, a sharp, urgent voice came from behind her.
"Don't move!"
Ye Qianning withdrew her hand, and Nangong Qing followed suit. He had spilled ink on his blue robe over a rabbit lantern.
"Third Prince, I'm sorry. I didn't know this lamp was so important to you. I didn't mean to touch it."
Nangong Qing breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the rabbit lantern was intact. He was heartbroken when it had a small tear in its paper last time, and he absolutely could not let it get damaged again.
"Third Prince, is this Manyu's lantern?"
Nangong Qing shook her head and put the lantern back: "No!"
"That must be something belonging to your beloved, am I right?"
Judging from his reaction just now, he would only be so anxious if it was left by someone he deeply loves, and that person must be someone he can't have.
So he secretly hid an object here, hoping to remember the person by looking at it.
Nangong Qing turned to look at Ye Qianning, then returned to the desk where he handled government affairs, picked up his pen, and then put it down.
“Princess Qian Ning, I have someone in my heart. No matter how Father Emperor arranges for you to settle in Nanning, I don’t want to hide this from you. Of course, you can also have other choices.”
Nangong Qing still remembered what her father and the Imperial Advisor had said: as long as Ye Qianning was willing, it didn't matter who she married.
"So that's how it is. Third Prince, you are truly a devoted lover. But I am different. I am toyed with by fate and have no say in the matter."
Ye Qianning felt smug. The fact that Nangong Qing was willing to tell her these things meant that she was one step closer to her goal.
"The princess sacrificed herself for the country, which is a great act of righteousness."
"Let's not talk about that anymore. But I'm curious, what kind of woman could have captured the Third Prince's heart?"
Nangong Qing's eyes were fixed on the tip of the pen, but her mind was on reminiscing, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.
"She is intelligent, decisive, and capable of solving problems with ease. There is no other woman like her in this world."
Nangong Qing didn't mention her appearance at all, which suggests that the woman in his heart wasn't very attractive.
"Why doesn't the Third Prince bring her to the Prince's residence? I heard that the Third Prince has been traveling around, so this woman is probably from the common people."
"If she's willing to come with the Third Prince, she'll instantly become someone of high status."
Nangong Qing sneered. Someone had already given her these; she didn't need them.
"She really is an inspirational person."
Ye Qianning knew that it would be much more difficult to get to Nangong Qing than to get to the Second Prince.
Back at Zegan Garden, Ye Beihan opened the letter Nangong Jingyao had written to Ye Qianning and threw it in front of her.
"Ye Qianning, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. The Second Prince of Nanning has taken the bait. You did a good job."
"Cousin, if things fall into chaos in Nanning, will we be able to return to Beiliang?"
It was agreed that she was only here to use her beauty as a trap, and that she would return when Nanning was in chaos. How could a great nation like Beiliang willingly submit to its rule?
"Of course, my plan has already begun. You just do your job."
"Yes, cousin."
No matter how gentle Ye Qianning was, she couldn't melt Ye Beihan's heart. However, he had the air of a ruler of the world, and what she ultimately had to do was to become the empress of the world.
...
In mid-August, Su Luo formally invited Ye Beihan to Wanxiu Pavilion. However, Nangong Chiyu was also present to see Ye Beihan.
"Prince Yu, how have you been?"
Nangong Chiyu exuded a calm and imposing aura, and even with Su Luo present, they couldn't prevent their eyes from clashing.
"The regent has neglected state affairs, but he has become interested in business."
The implication is that there were clues to the defeat of Northern Liang.
"I am working for the well-being of the people of Beiliang, but Your Highness Prince Yu is not training troops. If we encounter another war, we may not be able to win."
"Hmph! Even the most demoralized soldiers can still suppress a nation, that's enough..."
Ye Beihan was speechless. Nangong Chiyu said, "Isn't the country that was suppressed the Northern Liang?"
"Alright, are you here to argue or to discuss business? If you can't sit down properly, both of you can go back."
Su Luo had clearly discussed with Nangong Chiyu at home that cooperating with Ye Beihan was a well-thought-out idea, and he had agreed to it.
However, when the enemies actually meet, verbal exchanges are still unavoidable.
"snort!"
Nangong Chiyu didn't want Su Luo to have any contact with Ye Beihan, even if there were benefits involved.
But he couldn't sway Su Luo's decision in the slightest.
"Your Highness, this way please..."
Su Luo took Ye Beihan to observe Wanxiu Pavilion. Xie Wanwan was also there. There were places to make clothes, weave cloth, and store cotton. It had everything.
"Your Majesty, if we cooperate, I must make these cotton-padded clothes and then transport them to Beiliang for sale."
You are aware of the situation in both countries. If you want me to send cotton to Northern Liang, I'm afraid I cannot do so.
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