Chapter 314 What's the use of a useless sincerity?
Bu Fang looked up at Zhan Xingzhuo, pursed his lips, and remained silent.
Zhan Xingzhuo asked directly, "Yao Qingling?"
Bu Fang simply said, "Please return to the Prince's residence, Lord Zhan. The Princess is currently hosting a banquet for guests."
Zhan Xingzhuo stopped asking questions and simply walked around Bu Fang. Bu Fang moved and blocked his way.
Zhan Xingzhuo stared intently at Bu Fang, and the two tall men confronted each other.
Zhan Xingzhuo didn't have much time to waste here. He was extremely anxious, fearing that if he was even a step too late, Yao Qingling would fall into an abyss.
At this moment, if he were clear-headed enough, and wanted to maintain his relationship with Prince Xin while rescuing Yao Qingling, the best way would be to immediately notify Lin Shiyuan and have him get involved in this mess, while he would stay out of it.
However, this meant he lost the chance to win Yao Qingling's favor again.
She would only think of him as a coward and would not feel any gratitude towards him.
She became even more infatuated with Lin Shiyuan.
At this moment, Zhan Xingzhuo's mind was not clear.
He couldn't let Yao Qingling know that he had given her portrait to Prince Xin.
He absolutely could not allow Prince Xin to lay a hand on Yao Qingling.
Zhan Xingzhuo couldn't fight with Bu Fang at the door; it would only waste time.
He took a few steps back, glanced at the wall, and leaped over it before Bu Fang could stop him.
Zhan Xingzhuo entered the courtyard and headed straight for the inner part.
"Yao Qingling, you have to hold on, you absolutely can't let anything happen to you!"
When they arrived at the courtyard where the giant stone was stored, they saw Yao Qingling holding a pen, sketching the stone.
Prince Xin looked at her painting from the side, his eyebrows furrowed, and he looked disgusted.
Both of them noticed someone approaching and turned to look.
Prince Xin frowned slightly, then laughed: "Xingzhuo, what are you doing here? Is it because the Princess Consort's hospitality was inadequate and you can't sit still?"
Zhan Xingzhuo bowed respectfully to him, glanced at Yao Qingling, and indicated that what he was about to say should not be known to others.
Prince Xin glanced at Yao Qingling and said with a smile, "But Lady Yao is a guest I am to entertain. How about this, Lady Yao, you stay here and focus on your painting. I will go and have a chat with Xing Zhuo."
Yao Qingling glanced at Zhan Xingzhuo indifferently, then turned around and continued to immerse herself in painting.
Prince Xin and Zhan Xingzhuo walked towards the pavilion not far away.
He slowly poured tea, his gaze unabashedly landing on Yao Qingling, a slight smile playing on his lips, indicating he was in a good mood.
Zhan Xingzhuo was full of doubts, but in order to have an explanation, he picked one of the many official matters to tell Prince Xin.
"Oh? The Emperor has this new policy? Selling off the land in Luozhou?"
Zhan Xingzhuo said, "In the Luozhou area, wherever the Yellow River has eroded the land, countless people have died or been injured, leaving behind only silt and wasteland. If we rely solely on the original people to return and start farming again, it will take too long and won't be effective. Now that it's just the beginning of spring, it's actually the lean season, and the number of people starving to death is only increasing. This can't go on."
"Luozhou is in dire need of reconstruction. What it lacks is not money, but people. If a capable person can lead the people back to their hometown, this year may be better."
Prince Xin chuckled and said, "What does this have to do with me? You don't mean to expect me to buy those lands, do you?"
Zhan Xingzhuo said, "Your Highness, some people want the official sales rights for grain and oil to become rice merchants. If Your Highness had a lot of land, you could sell it to others and still make a profit..."
Prince Xin lowered his eyes and slightly curled the corners of his lips: "I will consider it some more."
He lifted his eyelids, looked directly at Zhan Xingzhuo, and said emphatically, "You didn't come here just to talk about this, did you?"
He glanced outside at Yao Qingling, a playful smile playing on his lips: "Afraid that I might do something to her?"
Zhan Xingzhuo pressed down on the corners of his lips, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed again, saying, "Your Highness, I have been married to Yao Qingling for three years, and only now do I truly understand her strong-willed nature. I am worried that she might offend Your Highness, and I do not wish for Your Highness to have any unpleasant reputation."
Prince Xin curled his lips and slowly took a sip of tea, seemingly appreciating the tea, but in reality, he was appreciating the woman in front of him.
He smiled slightly: "If Yao Qingling hadn't looked so bad today, I would have put something in this water."
His tone was soft and effeminate, with a wicked air, which was also telling Zhan Xingzhuo that he was not afraid of reputation.
The worse the reputation of a prince who is idle and undisciplined, the more likely the emperor will lower his guard.
Zhan Xingzhuo gritted his teeth and said, "All I know is that Your Highness doesn't like to use force."
However, Prince Xin did not always succeed by using coercive methods. Those strong-willed women either ended up killing themselves by crashing their heads into a wall, or were tortured by Prince Xin until they went insane and were then killed by him.
However, this situation is rare.
After all, he was a member of the royal family, and he lived right under the walls of the capital. If he did this kind of thing too often, it would cause public resentment, and the emperor would punish him.
Yao Qingling is neither a prostitute nor an ordinary citizen. She is the kind of person who will throw caution to the wind, make a huge scene, and not give up until she gets what she wants.
Prince Xin glanced at Zhan Xingzhuo indifferently: "You don't need to praise me like that."
However, he did not resort to underhanded tactics against Yao Qingling, not only because Yao Qingling's face was ruined, but also because Yao Qingling had made a bet with him.
She instructed Prince Xin to win her heart without resorting to any despicable means. If he succeeded, she would give him the most pleasurable experience and offer him the entire Hui Ba Fang, the foundation of her livelihood.
Prince Xin had no particular feelings about women.
What's the use of a useless sincerity?
But Yao Qingling is different.
She is intelligent, decisive, and stubborn, like a wild fox. You either tame her and make her willingly become your plaything; or you force her, and she will destroy herself.
Prince Xin was willing to take a gamble.
Yao Qingling picked up her brush and began to paint, moving the brush across the paper stroke by stroke.
She studied calligraphy and painting, but not very well, and she didn't have any talent in these areas.
Prince Xin couldn't bring himself to harm her face, yet he was unwilling to let her go.
He asked someone to bring paper and pen, saying he wanted to teach her how to paint.
That's a really strange suggestion.
Yao Qingling frowned at the large rock in front of her.
She thought of the huge rock in the Duke's mansion, and then of the words that Prince Xin had said to her at Prince Chen's mansion.
Could it be that Zhan Xingzhuo showed her portrait to someone else?
Yao Qingling couldn't help but feel disgust and fear.
Meanwhile, Prince Xin leisurely took another sip of tea, glancing at Zhan Xingzhuo: "Why did you rush here so hastily? Are you wondering if I've told her about the painting?"
Zhan Xingzhu frowned: "Your Highness, that painting... I have already returned it to Yao Qingling. Your Highness need not mention it again."
Prince Xin smiled and said, "Don't worry. I haven't told Yao Qingling about that. After all, you are her ex-husband, and in her heart, you will always be the father of her child. I don't want to see you two have a really ugly falling out."
Although if this matter were to be exposed, Yao Qingling would definitely hate Zhan Xingzhuo to the core, and would no longer feel any emotion towards him. Even the few good memories she had would vanish in an instant.
But Zhan Xingzhuo was still a man of the Prince of Xin, and he wouldn't put his cousin on the opposite side for a trivial matter.
He wanted to win over the woman, and he also wanted to win over this capable minister.
Zhan Xingzhuo didn't feel relieved at all; on the contrary, he felt that he was being controlled by Prince Xin.
He glanced at Prince Xin.
Prince Xin put down his teacup and walked toward Yao Qingling.
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