Over the next day's journey, Jiang Ran seemed to realize that Qin Chuan intended to hand her over to the Empress in order to curry favor.
Qin Chuan brought her food twice and even fed her by hand. She tried to bite Qin Chuan's fingers several times, but he dodged her each time. Her eyes seemed to be spitting fire, as if she wanted to glare at Qin Chuan to death...
As they drew ever closer to the capital, Jiang Ran grew increasingly impatient and threatened Qin Chuan with harsh words:
"Qin Chuan, if you don't release me, the Crimson Moon Society will hunt you down, and your family too..."
Qin Chuan remained completely calm and confident, saying:
"You don't need to extort me anymore. In your entire Crimson Moon Society, you were the only one who investigated my information. Otherwise, you would never have acted alone. Am I right?"
"you……"
Jiang Ran was speechless with anger for a moment. After a long while, she finally said dejectedly, "That's right, you're absolutely right. I have to admit that you are indeed a great talent with exceptional poetic ability. I've really started to like you a little."
As she spoke, she giggled and changed her tone: "Qin Chuan, as long as you let me go, you can do whatever you want to me..."
She stuck out her tongue and licked her lips, her eyes alluring and seductive.
"You're a talented man, and I'm quite a beauty, aren't I? I can indulge in your pleasures as many times as you like... Please, just let me go, I beg you..."
Her final tone was almost pleading.
"You really think I'm a fool? If I let you go, the first thing you'll do is kill me..."
After saying this, Qin Chuan walked out without looking back, and behind him came the sound of a woman breaking down in her guard again—
"Qin Chuan! You bastard!"
I'm going to kill you!
Hearing the shouts, Zhang Cheng thought Qin Chuan had raped the woman again, so he quickly moved closer to Qin Chuan and said, "Young Master Qin, this woman is beautiful, but you should also worry about your health. Won't you be unable to handle it if you play around with her too much?"
"I didn't..." Qin Chuan was speechless. What was all this about?
Seeing that he couldn't explain it clearly, he simply stopped explaining and stood on the deck gazing ahead...
Before long, they arrived at the capital's dock.
The docks in the capital were indeed bustling with activity, with hundreds of boats racing and ships like rain. As far as the eye could see, there were countless large and small vessels everywhere.
Upon reaching the dock, Qin Chuan spotted a beautiful girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in gorgeous clothes and adorned with gold ornaments, her delicate face still showing signs of childishness, waiting for him. He happily waved and said, "Little Princess."
"Fifth Aunt's husband!"
The young princess ran over with a joyful expression, and the eunuchs and maids behind her quickly followed.
"Fifth Uncle, I miss you so much..."
The young princess immediately hugged Qin Chuan's waist.
"This...this is outrageous..." the eunuch behind the young princess said anxiously.
Qin Chuan also pulled her slender wrist away and said, "I didn't expect you to be waiting for me here. It's been quite a while since we parted in Jiangzhou. Have you written any poems lately?"
“I’ve written it, Uncle Fifth, look…” The little princess handed several sheets of paper with the poems written on them to Qin Chuan.
Qin Chuan glanced at it; it was written in a fairly standard manner, but he still praised her.
Hearing the praise, the young princess giggled. After a while, she took Qin Chuan's hand and said, "Fifth Uncle, to see His Majesty, we need to wait for a summons. Why don't you stay at my house for now?"
At this moment, Zhang Cheng and his guards escorted Jiang Ran out of the official boat. When Zhang Cheng saw the young princess, he first bowed and then said to Qin Chuan, "Young Master Qin, His Majesty ordered that you be accommodated at the post station. I did not expect that you and the young princess are related. So, are you going to the post station now or...?"
Just as Zhang Cheng finished speaking, a eunuch dressed in a python robe and holding a whisk ran over from afar. The eunuch stared at Zhang Cheng and said, "Zhang Cheng, His Majesty has decreed that Qin Chuan has arrived in the capital and requests that Qin Chuan come to the Imperial Study to see the Emperor immediately!"
"Yes, Eunuch Liu." Zhang Cheng bowed to Eunuch Liu, who was clearly of a higher status than him.
"Which one of you is Young Master Qin Chuan?" Eunuch Liu asked.
Zhang Cheng stood next to Qin Chuan and pointed to him, saying to Eunuch Liu, "This is Young Master Qin."
After glancing at him, Eunuch Liu respectfully gestured for him to enter: "Please, Young Master Qin, come with me to the palace immediately to meet His Majesty."
"Alright." After Qin Chuan finished speaking, he waved to the guards: "Bring her over here."
The guards brought Jiang Ran, who was bound hand and foot, over. The young princess asked curiously, "Fifth Uncle, who is she?"
"She was an assassin who wanted to kill His Majesty," Qin Chuan explained.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Liu glanced at him and said in a cunning voice, "I didn't expect Young Master Qin to have come from so far and made such a gain. Let's take him to see His Majesty!"
“Young Princess,” Eunuch Liu suddenly turned to look at the young princess and asked, “Are you also going to see His Majesty?”
The young princess shook her head, took Qin Chuan's hand and said, "Fifth Uncle, I'll wait for you outside the palace gates. After your audience with the Emperor, I'll take you to my home!"
At this moment, Jiang Ran, who was tied up, suddenly said, "Oh, so that's why you, Qin Chuan, have no lust for me. So you've fallen for this little beauty!"
Seeing that she was about to cause trouble again, Qin Chuan angrily shoved a Seven Dimensions Space into her mouth and said indignantly, "Shut your mouth! You're about to die and you're still talking nonsense!"
“Ugh… ugh…” Jiang Ran glared fiercely at Qin Chuan.
"Let's go, let's go to the palace together." Qin Chuan tugged at the little princess's sleeve.
The young princess grabbed his hand with a joyful expression, as if she had forgotten that he was her fifth aunt's husband, but rather regarded him as her older brother.
With royal guards leading the way and carriages following closely behind, this small audience procession quickly entered the palace.
At this time, the Empress was in the Imperial Study, which was located in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, which was behind the Golden Palace.
Upon entering the palace, no carriages were allowed to enter the main gate of the Golden Palace. Qin Chuan and Eunuch Liu had no choice but to walk to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Jiang Ran, who was bound, was handed over to the imperial guards for escort.
The imperial guards were not allowed to carry weapons, at most a three-foot-long stick. Their main duty was to protect the safety of the inner palace.
Throughout the entire palace, only in a few areas such as the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the altar can one see armed royal guards, while the outer perimeter of the palace is the main area protected by the royal guards.
The young princess could enter the palace directly, and she could wander freely in all areas except for the Golden Palace and the inner palace. However, this time she did not enter the palace, but waited outside the palace city, because she knew that His Majesty wanted to see Qin Chuan alone this time, and she did not want to cause trouble.
There's nothing fun inside the palace, so it's better to wait outside; you can find food stalls there...
Qin Chuan followed Eunuch Liu to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and entered the Imperial Study.
Inside the Imperial Study, through the beaded curtain, Qin Chuan could see a yellow dragon throne with two palace maids and eunuchs standing on either side. However, the Empress was not sitting on the throne at this moment.
Without receiving instructions, Qin Chuan dared not lift the curtain and go inside, so he had no choice but to stand obediently outside.
At this moment, a clear, cold, and authoritative voice rang out: "Did you bring Qin Chuan?"
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