"Then why aren't you leaving?"
After saying that, he stepped forward, grabbed her waist, and pulled her outside.
Chu Changning was startled and subconsciously grabbed his hand, glancing up at him.
The two stood close together, their eyes meeting, and a silent, enchanting atmosphere permeated the surroundings.
His cold, slender hands gripped her extremely slender and soft waist, the force not exactly painful, but a tingling sensation that seemed to seep into her very bones.
Chu Changning paused slightly and tried to pry his hand away.
Yan Beimo didn't let go; with a sudden pull, he drew her into his arms and bent down.
"Don't you want to spend your first year with Ayu?"
A delicate, tingling sensation spread through her body and limbs. She nestled in his arms, listening to the heartbeat coming from his chest, her eyes slightly deep.
"Come back to the palace with me."
His voice was gentle, but his gaze was fixed on her face, concealing a possessive and aggressive intent.
Chu Changning said calmly, "I'm not going."
With a crisp and decisive refusal, Yan Beimo had never been humiliated so many times in his life. He had always put up with his temper with Chu Changning.
His lips were taut, and his dark eyes were even more intense and sharp than a wild wolf's.
"Are you looking for death?"
Chu Changning saw that he had revealed his true colors and raised his eyes sarcastically.
"Then kill me."
"you---"
His gaze pierced her, as if he wanted to pin her down.
Chu Changning was not afraid at all and spoke frankly.
"You were born so arrogant and aloof, never considering others as human beings. Yan Beimo, I'm just rejecting you now, and you can't even handle it?"
Yan Beimo was so angry that he remained silent, his calm face concealing turbulent emotions.
Startled by the bickering between the two, Ayu stopped crying and was held in her father's arms. She stretched out her body and kissed her father's face, then waved her little hands to hug her mother and snort.
Chu Changning then realized that the little dumpling was still there. He quickly suppressed his anger, forced a smile, and reached out to hug him.
"Since you don't want him anymore, he should act as if he doesn't have a mother like you."
Caught off guard by the sudden shove, Chu Changning turned around to see the person striding away, accompanied by her son's babbling calls of her name.
Those outside heard the commotion and knelt on the ground in fear, only following the person who came out.
When Taozhi saw the princess chasing after her, she quickly got up and helped her up.
"Princess."
Chu Changning leaned against the door, her eyes red with anger.
What do you mean she doesn't want it anymore? He was the one who insisted on taking it from her.
"Neuropathy."
Upon hearing her outrageous words, Taozhi quickly looked around.
"Princess, go back and scold her, or she might overhear you."
As night deepened, the entire capital city of Jiankang was filled with lanterns and drums, music and dance all night long. The streets were bustling with lantern markets, dragon dances, stilt walking, and men and women carrying lanterns in a lively procession.
Inside the courtyard, however, it was completely out of place with the outside world. The portraits of Shen Tu and Yu Lei pasted on the door had been blown off by the wind, and the lanterns were about to fall, creating a desolate and lonely scene.
Xiao Yan prepared all the food for the New Year's Eve feast and had Tao Zhi bring it into the house. The hidden guards who had been hiding around the house came to the courtyard in a few scattered ways.
The soft moonlight streamed in through the window and fell upon the small couch.
Chu Changning rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the moonlight outside the window, a melancholy shrouding her.
Taozhi, carrying a plate, pushed open the door and entered. Seeing the woman sitting by the window, she quietly walked over.
"Princess, please have some."
When the young master was here, the house was always bustling with activity. Now that he's gone, it's all so quiet and deserted.
Tao Zhi sighed and put the things down.
Chu Changning snapped out of his reverie, looked at the food on the table, and suddenly looked up at her and asked.
"Taozhi, am I being very selfish?"
"What are you saying, Princess?"
Chu Changning sighed, "For the sake of freedom, I left Ayu alone. He has no mother. How will he survive in the palace?"
“A man like Yan Beimo, once he has another child, how could he possibly care about Ayu?”
Taozhi had witnessed the emperor's ruthlessness and the scheming in the harem since childhood, so hearing her say this made her feel sad.
"This servant sees that His Majesty is very fond of the young master, so Princess, please don't worry too much."
As she spoke, she offered words of comfort.
“Since ancient times, the eldest son of the legitimate wife has been the firstborn son of the emperor. The young master is His Majesty’s eldest son and also the legitimate son. No one can surpass him.”
"Furthermore, His Majesty's harem is currently empty, and he has not announced the princess's death. This servant suspects that His Majesty may be—"
Before he could finish speaking, the sounds of fighting suddenly came from outside.
Chu Changning was startled and quickly got up. Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and a person rushed in, bringing with them a gust of cold wind.
"Helian Ye?!"
That's right, the person who came was Helian Ye.
He wore a flamboyant bright red gauze robe, his tall figure like Mount Tai, his eyebrows and eyes as alluring as a bold stroke of ink in a mural, a wicked smile playing on his lips as he looked at her.
"Ah Wan, it's been a long time."
Chu Changning reached back to draw his knife, but looked at him warily.
Why did you come to Jiankang?
Back then, the Western Regions and the Great Qi almost went to war. I heard from Night Hawk that the Western Regions' national teacher rebelled, and thirty-six kingdoms rose up in rebellion, turning their armies against each other and throwing the royal court into chaos. Helian Ye hurriedly returned to the Western Regions royal court to suppress the rebellion. Is it over so quickly?
Seeing her wary look, Helian Ye curled his lips and said, "I'm not going to kill you, why are you so nervous?"
After saying that, he casually glanced around the room and raised an eyebrow.
"After all the treatment I gave you, you actually turned around and knocked me unconscious. Ah Wan, in your Central Plains terms, this is called being ungrateful."
"---"
Chu Changning heard the fighting outside and spoke up.
"What brings you here, young master?"
Helian Ye raised an eyebrow and slowly walked towards her.
Taozhi's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped in front of her.
"Princess, there is a knife in the box on the left."
Chu Changning realized that Helian Ye had no intention of killing her, so she was no longer so nervous. She patted Taozhi's hand, signaling her to step back.
Helian Ye leaned back on the small couch and casually picked up some snacks from the table and ate a few bites.
"Indeed, the food in the Central Plains is delicious."
Peach branch, "---"
That was what the princess was preparing for New Year's Eve, but she hadn't had a chance to eat it yet.
"A-Wan, you still owe me something."
So, they've come to collect a debt.
Chu Changning pursed his lips, "Young Master, please speak freely."
She really didn't want to admit it, but what if this person just took her life?
"I've heard that the New Year's Day celebrations in the Central Plains are always lively, and the famous scholars of the Great Qi are known for their refined tastes, the elegant and unrestrained performances, and the magical arts of the Hidden Man. How about you treat me and keep me company for a few days?"
"---"
Chu Changning was stunned for a moment, staring at him without saying a word for a long time.
Helian Ye chuckled wickedly and waved his hand in front of her, "What are you daydreaming about?"
The fighting outside stopped, and sparse light shone through the round window, illuminating his face with an otherworldly, bewitching beauty.
“Alright, but I don’t have a place for you to stay, young master. Let’s go find an inn.”
Helian Ye, ever the friendly type, poured himself a pot of tea. "I've had a long journey to Jiankang, aren't you going to treat me?"
Seeing his expression, Chu Changning breathed a sigh of relief and spoke.
"Where are you going to eat on New Year's Eve? If you don't mind, let's eat here."
After saying that, she gave Taozhi a look.
"Bring everything in, and let everyone go to the dining room for dinner."
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