She spoke calmly, yet skillfully steered the conversation away from the main topic.
Princess Mingyue seemed oblivious to Chen Qingwan's aloofness, and continued, emboldened by the alcohol:
"Sister Chen, you're too modest!"
"I can tell that Lord Lu treats you with special regard!"
"That day during the hunt, he protected you in every way..."
Princess Mingyue stopped abruptly at this point.
He stared at Chen Qingwan with a dreamy look in his eyes, as if he wanted to see right through her.
Chen Qingwan felt her heart beating faster and faster.
It looked like it was about to jump out of my chest.
She tried hard to control her emotions and said softly:
"Your Highness, you are drunk."
"Sister Chen, tell me the truth, do you like a man like Lu... Lu Yan?"
Princess Mingyue suddenly leaned closer to Chen Qingwan, her breath as fragrant as orchids.
Chen Qingwan's heart tightened, and she quickly avoided Princess Mingyue's gaze.
He cleared his throat and steered the conversation toward the governance of Jingzhou:
"Your Highness, the governance of Jingzhou is truly thanks to Lord Lu..."
Although Princess Mingyue was drunk, she was particularly concerned about Lu Yan's affairs.
Upon hearing Chen Qingwan mention Lu Yan, he immediately perked up.
He spoke at length about Lu Yan's various reform measures.
From the formation of the musketeers to the development of commerce, nothing was too small.
Lu Yan was like the most precious person in her heart.
Chen Qingwan listened attentively, secretly comparing Lu Yan's strategy with her own governing philosophy.
She discovered that the two had quite a few things in common. Her appreciation for Lu Yan's talent grew even stronger.
At the same time, they gained a deeper understanding of Princess Mingyue's feelings for Lu Yan.
"Lord Lu is truly a genius!" Chen Qingwan exclaimed sincerely.
"you do not say!"
Princess Mingyue raised her chin triumphantly, as if she shared in Lu Yan's achievements.
"He's the one I... I've set my sights on!"
Princess Mingyue became increasingly agitated as she spoke, and fueled by the alcohol, she began to express her admiration for Lu Yan:
"You know what? He dared to flirt with me the first time we met!"
"Do you know what he said? He said... he said I'm like a little girl who hasn't grown up!"
"I was so angry! But...but then, he saved me, and...and helped me..."
Princess Mingyue's cheeks flushed, as if she were somewhat embarrassed.
Chen Qingwan observed Princess Mingyue's every move discreetly, secretly speculating in her mind:
Could it be that this little girl has really fallen for Lu Yan?
Princess Mingyue was silent for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Chen Qingwan's hand, looking at her intently:
"Sister Chen, let's become sworn sisters!"
"From now on... from now on we can share Lu Yan's love together!"
Chen Qingwan chuckled inwardly:
This little girl is so naive!
However, this is a good opportunity to take advantage of Princess Mingyue.
This will allow us to better control the situation in Beixiang Kingdom in the future.
"OK!"
Chen Qingwan readily agreed and raised a toast with Princess Mingyue to become sworn sisters.
The two drank the nuptial wine, and Princess Mingyue excitedly put her arm around Chen Qingwan's shoulder.
He said with a silly grin:
"From now on... from now on we're best friends!"
"Sharing the good times and the bad!"
Chen Qingwan's lips curled up slightly, but in her heart she was scheming how to use this relationship to achieve her own goals.
After the banquet, Chen Qingwan excused herself to change and returned to her room.
She dismissed everyone around her and sat alone in front of the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror with a complicated expression.
She recalled Princess Mingyue's various actions after she got drunk.
Thinking of her infatuation with Lu Yan, she couldn't help but feel jealous.
“Lu Yan…Lu Yan…” Chen Qingwan murmured to herself.
"You're mine after all!"
Lu Yan, this man she can't understand yet deeply attracts, what kind of charm does he possess?
Princess Mingyue's straightforwardness and enthusiasm made her feel a sense of crisis.
She had to admit that her feelings for Lu Yan were far deeper than she had imagined.
...
Meanwhile, Lu Yan was far away in Shannan Prefecture.
He was troubled by the fact that General Mu Qing of the Northern Xiang Kingdom was stationed dozens of miles outside the city.
Mu Qing is like a stubborn plaster that you can't shake off.
Before doing anything, you have to consider whether they will try to take advantage of you.
"Damn it, this Mu Qing is like a persistent ghost!"
"Why don't you hurry up and go back to Beixiang Kingdom? Stop wasting time with me."
Lu Yan cursed and swore at the map.
I paced restlessly, when suddenly a brilliant idea struck me:
"Got it! Swap the troops between Shannan Prefecture and Jianmen Pass!"
"Ah? My lord, this...this isn't quite appropriate, is it?"
"The situation at Jianmen Pass is critical. We need to transfer Tu Rong there, just in case..."
Zhang Xun offered his concerned advice.
"What's there to be afraid of! That kid Tu Rong has been wanting to practice in real combat for a long time."
"It's a good opportunity to send him to meet Mu Qing, and also give you guys a break."
Lu Yan waved his hand impatiently.
It's settled then!
Lu Fei, take your men back to Shannan Prefecture. Tu Rong, take your men to the front lines at Jianmen Pass!
Tu Rong led his Javanese troops to Jianmen Pass in a grand procession.
Upon seeing him, Lu Yan cut to the chase and asked:
"How are the warships being built and the navy being trained?"
Tu Rong clasped his hands in a salute and said in the slightly accented Da Tong dialect:
"My lord, the warships are estimated to take several more months to complete, given the heavy workload."
"The navy trains every day; they're just waiting to fight in real combat."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yan immediately perked up:
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