The butler looked at them tremblingly, knelt on the ground and said, "Your Highness, the prince has ordered that no one is allowed to enter the main courtyard."
"Get out of here!" Situ Yao was furious and kicked him away. "Who dares to stop me?"
The guards in the palace were all Situ Zhao's men. Although they were afraid of Situ Yao, they were more worried that if they failed to stop the man, Situ Zhao would kill them all. So they knelt on the ground in silence, blocking his way.
"Make a move," Situ Yao said, trying to force his way in. Just as the East Palace guards behind him were about to draw their swords, the gate finally opened. Situ Zhao, with a smile on his face, seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere. He asked calmly, "Prince, what brings you to the Rui Palace so late at night?"
"Where are the people?" Situ Yao's face was almost frozen.
Situ Zhao thought he had the initiative, so he said calmly, "I never thought that a mere concubine would occupy such an important position in the Crown Prince's heart, enough to make you lead troops to surround the Rui Palace overnight."
"Since this person is so important to the Crown Prince, how could I possibly hand him over immediately?" Situ Zhao made no secret of his thoughts. "The Crown Prince must give me something in exchange."
"Where is the person?" Situ Yao asked again. He would not agree to any conditions without seeing the person.
"Someone, come and bring the person out." Situ Zhao clapped his hands, and immediately someone came out to support the drowsy Su Mengyan.
Situ Yao couldn't keep his composure anymore, his eyes were bloodshot, "What did you do to her?"
"It's nothing, I just used some aphrodisiac. It won't take her life. Your Highness doesn't have to worry." Situ Zhao disagreed.
"What do you want?" Situ Yao asked in a deep voice, his eyes fixed on Su Mengyan, afraid that she would make any mistake.
Su Mengyan suddenly came to her senses. Seeing the person standing in front of her and what he had just said, she shook her head, "Your Highness, don't agree to him."
"Your love is truly as deep as the sea." Situ Zhao said with a victorious attitude, "Then will the prince agree?"
"As long as it's not excessive, I can agree to it." Situ Yao snorted coldly.
"It's actually very simple. Commander Lin, who was in charge of the Imperial Guards, was dismissed some time ago, and the Crown Prince has long wanted to replace him with his own men." Situ Zhao had a big appetite and had set his sights on the 50,000 Imperial Guards in the capital. "As long as the Crown Prince doesn't interfere with the appointment of the Commander of the Imperial Guards, you can take him away tonight."
Situ Zhao had the support of the civil officials, but he had no military power. Almost all the military generals were on Situ Yao's side. As long as his men became the commanders of the imperial guards, the 50,000 imperial guards would have to obey his command, and it would be much easier for him to do anything in the capital.
Situ Yao hesitated for a moment, his expression puzzled. "You want the position of commander of the Imperial Guards?"
"Yes, it depends on whether she is so important in the prince's heart." Situ Zhao used Su Mengyan in exchange for military power.
Situ Yao agreed quickly, "Okay, I won't interfere anymore. As for who will be the commander of the Imperial Guard, it's all up to the Emperor, and I can't interfere."
In fact, Situ Yao had never thought of arranging anyone to serve as the commander of the imperial guards, because he didn't know how many of the 50,000 imperial guards were Situ Zhao's men, and he didn't dare to use them easily. Now that he wanted them, he naturally gave them to him without hesitation.
Situ Zhao had never expected it to be so easy. He looked at him suspiciously and said, "Prince, are you really going to give up?"
"Since you want it, I'll give it to you. As for whether you can make them obey, it all depends on your ability." Situ Yao was much calmer than before. "Can you let them go now?"
Situ Zhao felt a little regretful and thought, if he had known it was so easy, he should have changed for something more important.
"Do you want to go back on your word?" Situ Yao's icy eyes were filled with danger.
Situ Zhao was a little intimidated by him, especially when he saw that he had brought so many personal guards with him, so he didn't dare to confront him head-on. After the terms were agreed, he readily handed the person over to him. "I will keep my promise, and I hope that the Crown Prince will also do the same. Otherwise, I will have the opportunity to capture her again."
Situ Zhao stretched out his hand and pointed at Su Mengyan from a distance. The previous Situ Yao was an iron barrel without any cracks, and there was no opportunity to threaten him.
Now that he has a weakness, and he happens to know it, he will naturally make good use of it.
Situ Yao picked up Su Mengyan and glanced at him coldly, "Mind your own business. I will do what I promised."
Situ Yao carried Su Mengyan back to the East Palace. He knew exactly what was going on, but he didn't dare to move.
Su Mengyan, who was tortured by the drug, felt Situ Yao's hand was cold. She put her face close to him and sighed comfortably.
Situ Zhao did not lie. There was not much aphrodisiac powder used in the incense. As long as she could hold on, nothing would happen.
That night, Situ Yao sat beside her, not closing his eyes all night. When she sweated, Situ Yao immediately and clumsily wiped her clean. When she felt uncomfortable in her sleep, he comforted her softly.
Su Mengyan, on the other hand, was in a state of uncertainty. When she woke up the next day, she felt as if she had been pulled out of the water. She opened her eyes and saw the familiar house, muttering to herself, "How did I end up back here after I died?" She was convinced that she had bitten her tongue to commit suicide the previous night.
"Awake?" Situ Yao suddenly spoke, startling her. She looked at him blankly and asked, "Am I still alive?"
"Of course I'm alive." Situ Yao was amused by her words, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, "I'm fine now."
As her memory came back, Su Mengyan remembered everything that happened last night. She was almost defiled by Situ Zhao. Thinking of this, she was still frightened and shuddered.
Remembering how she came back, Su Mengyan anxiously grabbed Situ Yao's hand and asked, "What did His Highness exchange with him?"
"It's nothing, as long as you come back safe and sound." Situ Yao said lightly.
Su Mengyan felt that the way he looked at her seemed different from before, and there was something in his eyes that made her heart beat faster.
"If you feel tired, you can sleep for a while. I'm going to court." Seeing that she didn't say anything, Situ Yao stood up and left.
Su Mengyan covered her face with the quilt. She didn't know what she was thinking about, but she could hear laughter coming from under the quilt.
It was still early, but Su Mengyan was not sleepy. Chun He came in to help her wash up and found that her eyes were very red and swollen. She asked in surprise, "What happened?"
Chun He knelt on the ground with a thud, "My lady, you can punish me or even give me a beating."
"Hurry up and get up. Why would I hit you for no reason?" Su Mengyan found it a little funny and wanted to help her up.
"It's because I didn't take good care of you, young lady, that you suffered." Chun He has been blaming herself. Her previous plan was that if Su Mengyan got into trouble in Prince Rui's Mansion, she would die to atone for her sin.
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