Chapter 136
Minshan is a scenic spot outside the imperial city, a place of leisure and tranquility. Here, the white clouds suddenly stop, and the clear spring flows like the sound of flutes and bamboo flutes, which makes people feel relaxed and happy.
Throughout the journey, Yan Qizhen showed great care and concern, revealing his gentle and refined nature.
“Zhaoning, this is Songlin Pavilion.” Yan Qizhen stopped and said softly.
"I've heard that Songlin Pavilion is where the former general of the cavalry and Princess Mingli first met," Yingning said.
"Zhao Ning also knows about Princess Ming Li?" Yan Qizhen was immediately curious. He had thought that Ying Ning, as a person from the Western Regions, would not know about Princess Ming Li.
Minshan first gained fame because of Princess Mingli's marriage.
"Yes, I once read a play when I was in the Western Regions. It was about the chance encounter between Princess Mingli and the general of the镖骑 (bodyguard/cavalry).
“Princess Mingli is a person of strong character.” Yan Qizhen’s lips curled into a hint of sarcasm.
"Unfortunately, matters of marriage cannot be forced." Yingning raised her hand and brushed past the willow tree beside the stone steps, picking a willow leaf and playing with it carefully in her fair hand.
Princess Mingli was the daughter of the late emperor of the Min Dynasty. It is said that she was deeply loved by the late emperor. When she was young, she fell in love at first sight with a handsome young man in Songlin Pavilion and asked to marry the general of the cavalry many times.
Yan Qizhen waved his hand slightly, signaling the servant to step back a few paces.
On the stone steps, he walked side by side with Yingning.
"Indeed, as Zhao Ning said."
"However, Princess Mingli was unaware of this principle at the time," Yan Qizhen said, shaking his head as if he truly felt sorry for Princess Mingli.
"However, Songlin Pavilion has a long history and beautiful scenery. It is quite interesting to be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery with Zhaoning today."
The two stepped into the Songlin Pavilion together. The carved wooden murals inside the pavilion had faded considerably due to the erosion of time. One of the murals was a replica of a scene with birds singing and branches full of flowers.
Yan Qizhen had already arranged for tea and snacks to be served here.
“His Highness the Fourth Prince was prepared,” Ying Ning said softly.
Despite his injured right arm, Yan Qizhen still personally poured Yingning a cup of tea.
"Inviting you here was certainly not done without preparation."
"Zhao Ning, look over there, that's the beautiful scenery of Liu Shang I was talking about." He pointed to a spot, and Ying Ning looked in the direction he was looking, but didn't say anything yet.
Then a loud, boastful voice suddenly appeared not far away outside the pavilion:
"I was wondering why there were so many people at Songlin Pavilion today."
"So it was the Fourth Prince here."
The speaker was a man wearing a maroon brocade robe and a jade crown, and his eyes were full of mockery when he spoke.
Yan Qizhen never expected to run into this person here.
The misty look in his eyes indicated that he did not want to speak.
Ying Ning glanced at Yan Qizhen and noticed that his face was somewhat gloomy. Although he hid it very well, she could still sense that his aura was unfriendly.
"What is it, Your Highness, Fourth Prince?" the man asked again.
"Are you still going to pretend you don't recognize me?"
"Young Prince, do not be rude to His Highness!" The servant walked directly in front of the man, trying to stop him.
The only son of Annam County simply waved away the servant who came to stop him.
“I remember that I got along very well with Your Highness when I was a child.”
"Why is Your Highness being so formal today?" The young prince of An'nan seemed to have thought of something, his gaze shifting from Yan Qizhen to Ying Ning.
He had only noticed someone next to Yan Qizhen earlier, but now, looking at the back of the figure, he realized it seemed to be a young woman.
The young prince of Annam strolled over and spoke with amusement.
"No wonder the Fourth Prince was silent; it turns out he has a beauty keeping him company."
"I'd like to see..." He walked into the pavilion and turned his head to see a beautiful face.
The scenery of Fujian mountains cannot compare to her fleeting glimpse.
This woman was dressed in a striking color, with several hair ornaments adorned with zither-shaped trumpet vines at her ears, and the corners of her phoenix eyes held a touch of alluring charm, resembling a passionate painting by a famous artist of old.
The figures in the painting are vividly rendered with rich ink and color, their beauty almost radiant.
As the only son of the Prince of Annam, he was not qualified to attend the welcoming banquet for the envoys from the Western Regions, so the young prince did not recognize Yingning's identity.
"Where did this...beauty come from?"
The young prince of Annam was filled with amazement and was about to utter some wild words when he heard Yan Qizhen's voice again.
“Young Prince, today is a meeting between me and my distinguished guest, and I did not invite you.”
"I hope the young prince will not disturb us."
As soon as Yan Qizhen spoke, Yingning knew that the person in front of her was the only son of An'nan County.
This young prince clearly didn't take Yan Qizhen seriously, and said with a smile, "Is Your Highness trying to get rid of me?"
"Could it be that the Fourth Prince, knowing his lowly status, is unworthy of the noble ladies of the capital, and has come to find a woman from another ethnic group to soothe his feelings?"
"How about this beauty comes with me to the banquet?"
"We can also enjoy the riches and honors of the Min Dynasty!"
Yan Qizhen's face turned cold. He had always used a gentle demeanor to mask his ambition, and although he was being looked down upon by the Prince of Annan, he did not directly break off the relationship.
"Young Prince, please watch your words." Yan Qizhen stood up and looked at him coldly.
Unexpectedly, the young prince of Annam reached out and tried to put his hand on Yingning's shoulder.
"Maybe this beauty also wants... Ahhhhh!"
His agonizing screams drew Yan Qizhen's attention.
The young prince of Annam felt as if his hand was about to be broken, and could only curse fiercely at Yingning:
"You vile woman, do you even know who I am?!"
Yingning exerted force again, causing the young prince of Annan to let out a sound like he was struggling on the verge of death. He then spoke fiercely:
"I am the only son of Annan County!"
"The future prince!"
"Do you know... Aaaaaaah!!"
"oh..."
“Then he is no longer a prince.” Yingning stood up and turned him around, causing the young prince to cry out in pain again.
"This is the first time I've heard someone call me that. I doubt even Annan County would dare to do so."
"you...!"
The young prince of Annam was tormented by pain and was just about to call for help when he failed to notice Yingning's words.
"How dare you insult my father?!"
"Help! Someone, please!"
"Let that bitch..."
Ying Ning tightened her grip, raising a brow with her phoenix eyes: "I have been in the capital for many days, yet I was unaware that there were such arrogant people in the imperial city?"
An Lin heard it clearly this time!
This exotic woman...
She even calls herself "this Empress"...
Could she be the Western Region princess who came to marry into the Western Regions?!
Although the people of the Min Dynasty had privately discussed the matter of the Western Regions princess, this princess, who came from a defeated country to marry a foreign ruler, had been ridiculed by them.
But that's a private matter after all.
Ultimately, Bai Yingning is, after all, the eldest princess of the Western Regions. As a princess, she cannot disregard the rules that should be followed in the open by the Min Dynasty.
If others were to learn of my actions just now, His Majesty would surely punish the Prince of An'nan's residence severely!
“Princess Zhaoning?!” An Lin asked in a panic.
Princess Zhaoning!
"Why do you call me by my name?" Yingning asked, her strength not waning.
"Ahhh... I was so ignorant of the princess's dignity, I have truly offended her!" An Lin cried out in alarm.
"An Lin apologizes to the princess!"
"I apologize! I apologize!"
...
The young prince of Annam hurriedly apologized to Yingning, and only then did Yingning let go of his hand, feeling utterly bored.
An Lin was born to the late-life prince of An'nan County and was highly regarded in the county's mansion.
Judging from this, he seems to have a connection with Yan Qizhen. There's no need for him to take action; given time, Yan Qizhen will rise to a high position and won't spare this "young prince."
"Get lost." Ying Ning said coldly, shaking off his wrist.
"Yes, yes, yes." An Lin immediately clutched his arm and left, enduring the pain.
Before leaving, he gave Yan Qizhen a fierce look.
Unexpectedly, the latter's gaze fell on the eldest princess.
Yan Qizhen was somewhat surprised. He had known Bai Yingning for a long time and knew how nervous and fearful she was when she came to the Min Dynasty, but he had never seen her so sharp.
At this moment, it has a certain royal majesty.
Yingning carefully wiped her fingertips with a handkerchief. After feeling Yan Qizhen's scrutinizing gaze, she turned her head and saw the look in his eyes.
“That man just now was… An Lin, the only son of Annan County.”
Yan Qizhen saw her pouting lips:
"It seems that the Fourth Prince and this young prince are old acquaintances?"
As she said this, she smiled and glanced around, the deep darkness in her eyes making Yan Qizhen somewhat unable to fathom her.
"This palace..."
“The young Prince of Annam spent much of his youth in the palace, so it is only natural that he has known Your Highness for a long time…” Yingning did not sit down, but picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
"However, I suspect it's not a good relationship?"
Her tone was ambiguous, and there was a hint of probing in her voice.
Yan Qizhen originally wanted to let the matter drop, but he didn't expect Ying Ning to bring it up directly.
“The young Prince of Annam was unruly in his youth, and I took the blame for many of his mistakes when he was in the palace.” Yan Qizhen only said half of what he meant.
Although Yan Qizhen was a prince, his mother was of lowly birth, and his birth could only be described as a momentary mistake by the emperor.
When he was young, he had no mother to protect him, and his life in the palace was worse than that of a eunuch.
Over the years, he has almost crawled and knelt in the mud to persevere to this day.
Countless times, he felt he couldn't hold on any longer.
In recent years, Yan Qizhen has had a few more opportunities to appear before the emperor of the Min Dynasty. The people in the capital are naturally inclined to curry favor with the powerful. Only by gaining some power can he avoid living as miserably as before.
Because his status was different from that of the other princes.
Therefore, he was often bullied by the only son of the Prince of Annam when he was young.
...........
Seeing that Yan Qizhen's expression had once again become calm and indifferent, Yingning knew that he would not reveal the embarrassing past, so she spoke leisurely:
"Your Highness, Fourth Prince."
"Today, at Your Highness's invitation to go on an outing, I have a matter to discuss with you."
“Zhao Ning, there’s no need to be formal.” His eyes were filled with tenderness.
"Whatever it is, just say the word, and I will do my utmost to help you if it is within my power," Yan Qizhen said immediately.
Yan Qizhen guessed that it was nothing more than Bai Chuning's matter.
Only if there is a request can his wishes be granted.
But the man shrouded in mist and rain never expected Yingning to suddenly utter a sentence:
“Zhao Ning can see that His Highness is an ambitious person.”
Between her red lips and white teeth, the words she spoke softly were somewhat intriguing.
"I know that Your Highness's position is not yet secure, so I wish to establish relations with the Western Regions."
"It's not because..."
Yan Qizhen was about to defend himself when he heard Ying Ning continue:
"Your Highness, we are both members of the royal family, and I feel there are some things we can say without hesitation."
"I need Your Highness to find an antidote for me, and Your Highness also needs my reputation and status to win over the court officials."
"Although I am not the same mother as the current emperor of the Western Regions, my mother is the daughter of King Basun, so I must have some reputation."
"Zhao Ning!"
Yan Qizhen tried to support her arm, but unexpectedly, she turned aside to avoid him.
"Your Highness."
She moved closer to Yan Qizhen and saw that his usual hazy, ethereal appearance was somewhat shattered.
"Why resort to such underhanded tactics? After all, we both have something to gain."
"I will temporarily ignore Your Highness's petty tricks. As for any rumors circulating in the capital, they will be based on Your Highness's wishes."
"but...
"I only ask for one thing."
"That is Ah Chu's peace of mind."
Three days later, it will be the day that Bai Chuning's poison takes effect for the first time.
In the original storyline, Bai Chuning endured the first onset of the poison, suffering for more than ten hours before finally fainting from the pain.
Yan Qizhen must have some ideas.
Yan Qizhen had intended to use the trip as an opportunity to mend the rift between him and Ying Ning to achieve his own goals, but he never expected that she would guess his intentions so perfectly!
As he looked up, he found himself in the line of sight of the woman opposite him.
He had thought that this princess from the Western Regions was a pure and innocent person.
Unexpectedly, she also saw herself clearly.
"Princess Zhaoning..."
"Fourth Prince, how is it?" She reached out and picked up a strand of black hair, her expression seemingly returning to her usual carefree manner. Yan Qizhen caught a glimpse of something deeper in her eyes at the last moment.
Yan Qizhen suddenly realized that he had misjudged the situation.
It seems that this princess from the Western Regions is not without cunning.
Ultimately, how could there be truly pure and genuine people within the royal family?
Yan Qizhen rarely found someone like this who could so directly and frankly point out others' schemes.
It seems she had this idea in mind for a while...
He remained silent for a long time before suddenly smiling.
“Since the princess says so, then Qizhen will comply.” Her suggestion still achieved her goal, and Yan Qizhen had no reason to refuse.
However, he gave her a serious look.
This Bai Yingning...
Aren't you afraid he'll use you up and then...?
Does it not go as she wishes?
“Zhao Ning knew that His Highness would definitely agree,” Ying Ning said.
Yan Qizhen looked at her profile, but at this moment he couldn't quite figure her out.
It's alright.
He has long conspired with wolves and tigers to devour the fruits of temptation.
Although it is said that when dealing with a tiger, misfortunes never come singly.
However, it's still hard to say who the tiger is at this point.
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