Chapter 39 Fortunately
The next morning, the emperor announced that he and the prince would go to Fengxian Hall and Taimiao to pay tribute on the winter solstice. The prince was very cooperative in bringing Yang Manyan back, and knelt on the spot to thank his father. The farce of yesterday finally came to an end.
After the court meeting ended, Xiao Yan strode out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and went to the Wenhua Hall to make up for the morning lessons that had not yet ended.
His study companion, Xu Chengzong, the prince of Wei, had been waiting here for a long time.
Near noon, Xu Chengzong asked with a smile: "Your Highness, it has been a long time since you have played chess with me. Why don't you let me go back to the East Palace with you and play a few games with you?"
The prince had not had time to discuss the matter of letting his younger sister Miaohua enter the Eastern Palace before he left the capital for disaster relief last month, but now he finally has the chance.
Xiao Yan smiled faintly, "No, I just happened to have an appointment with Yang Shangyi to play a game of chess at lunch time today."
Xu Chengzong's face changed slightly when he heard this, and he asked without thinking: "Yang Shangyi can play chess?"
How could Yang, a poor girl with only beauty but no knowledge, play chess? She must have made up a story to win favor.
The prince heard the hidden meaning in his words, and a sharp light flashed between his handsome and gentle eyebrows.
He pursed his lips slightly, "Yang Shangyi has been well-read since childhood, and is full of knowledge, so it is natural that he can talk chess."
Immediately, he stood up from his seat, calmly signaled Shu Qing and others beside him to move, and walked back towards the East Palace.
Xu Chengzong was so shocked that his pupils trembled slightly.
Yang is well-read and knowledgeable? How is it possible...
After hesitating for a moment, he followed and said earnestly, "Your Highness, please listen to my advice. The women in the inner court will often do anything to win favor. Please do not listen to one side."
Xiao Yan paused slightly, turned sideways to look at him, his face solemn, and immediately waved his hand to dismiss the eunuchs on his left and right.
For a moment, the eunuchs and ministers in front of the Wenhua Palace scattered like birds and beasts, scattering in all directions to avoid suspicion.
The prince stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the man who was a few years older than him but not taller than him.
"Boxuan, I know that you have a biased opinion of Yang Shangyi and have repeatedly spread rumors in front of me. It is only because of Yang Shangyi's reputation and the friendship we have known for many years that I have not punished you."
"Yang Shangyi is the future mother of a country. How can you, a mere son of a duke, be qualified to comment on her?"
After all, he is of royal blood. Although he is known for his gentleness and generosity, he also has a condescending and awe-inspiring aura.
Xu Chengzong looked stunned and his heart skipped a beat.
He hurriedly bowed and said respectfully, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I just spoke my mind without intending to offend Yang Shangyi..."
"I know exactly what your Xu family is planning. Go back and tell your father that he doesn't need to think about sending people to my East Palace." Xiao Yan's tone became increasingly cold.
Xu Chengzong was stunned for a moment, his heart felt like it was sinking into an ice cellar.
But before he could say anything to apologize, the prince had already left, surrounded by many eunuchs and officials.
Xu Chengzong stood there in a daze for a long time, his knees suddenly felt weak and he almost fell to the ground.
Before the prince said this just now, he indeed still regarded Yang as a poor distant relative who was staying at the Duke of Wei's mansion, and had never taken her seriously.
He even firmly believed that Yang would be deposed sooner or later, and that his younger sister Miaohua would be the heroine of the Eastern Palace in the end, so he didn't take her seriously at all.
Now he felt like he had been slapped hard in the face by reality, and his face was burning with pain.
When Xiao Yan returned to the East Palace, Yang Manyan was already sitting at the chessboard waiting with great interest.
"Your Highness, please sit down. It has been a long time since anyone has played chess with me!" Her eyes were clear.
When she was imprisoned in Yingtai, Xiyuan last month, the emperor ran back and forth between the two places every day. Whenever he saw her, he would pin her down and fuck her hard, and never asked her what she liked.
Chang Ying asked carefully several times, but no one on the Yingtai side knew how to play chess, so she could only sit in front of the chessboard and entertain herself.
"Would you like to play the black or white pieces?" Xiao Yan sat opposite her, a smile flashing in his eyes.
His profile was gentle and handsome, as if the scolding of Xu Chengzong just now had never happened.
Black plays first, white plays second. Yang Manyan likes to play with white pieces, so he moves the Hetian jade white chess piece in front of himself.
Xiao Yan held the black piece in his hand and took the lead in placing a black piece in the middle.
He wanted to be more humble, but after a few moves, he realized that her chess skills were far more advanced than he had imagined.
The usually cute and adorable little girl was actually pressing him hard in the chess match, and the two of them could be said to be on par with each other in terms of their skills.
In just a cup of tea, the chess game fell into a stalemate.
While thinking about how to break the impasse, Xiao Yan occasionally looked up at her, but he would often be distracted for a moment after each glance.
The girl opposite was sitting cross-legged on the couch, wearing a magenta palace dress, with picturesque eyebrows and eyes. She supported her round chin with one hand and stared at the chessboard quietly.
Her focused and serious look inexplicably made people's hearts flutter.
The warm winter sun shone through the window beside her, seeming to cast a layer of light golden halo over her.
Xiao Yan secretly felt lucky that her father had never seen her so energetic, otherwise...
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