Chapter 164
"I have heard that the Emperor of the Western Regions was on good terms with you when he was young, and even immediately bestowed upon you the title of 'Elder Princess' and the name 'Zhaoning' upon his ascension to the throne."
Strangely, Bai Lirong sent her to wade into such a murky pool in the Min Dynasty.
It seems that the reason for the breakdown in her relationship with Bai Lirong was because of Bai Chuning.
Yan Chaoji felt as if he had suddenly grasped something, and then he spoke:
"If you need my help, please ask."
She chuckled softly.
The woman opposite him did not respond directly. Instead, she rested her chin on her hand and asked with bright phoenix eyes, "What is the Regent doing sneaking here today?"
"Does he not want to be a prince anymore?"
"So you'd like to experience the life of a lecherous womanizer who climbs over walls?"
Yan Chaoji sat down on the other side of the stone table, gently placing the black chess piece from his palm onto the chessboard, his expression unaffected by her teasing:
"You went to the palace today."
"Yes, Her Majesty the Empress invited me today, presumably because I got involved in this mess." She picked up a piece and examined it closely.
Yan Chaoji lowered his eyes and slowly spoke:
"It's because my brother suspects you."
As Yan Chaoji spoke, he carefully studied the chessboard. He only looked up when he felt the woman opposite him scrutinizing him, and he saw the enlightened look on her face.
"It seems that Your Highness and His Majesty are truly irreconcilable enemies." Yingning looked at him; his slender hands were strong and powerful, as if they could truly support the world.
“Even I, an outsider, seem to be getting involved,” she added.
This time, Yan Chaoji did not stop her from continuing. Their shared experiences had already silently proven everything, and nothing he said now could conceal it.
"Your brother will not lose his guard against you because of this, so you must be careful in your actions from now on."
"Zhao Ning thanks Your Highness for your concern."
Yan Chaoji paused, then slowly said, "But there's no need to worry. I said I would protect you, and I will keep my promise."
He moved another piece, his expression as cold and solemn as ever.
"Protect me?"
“Your Highness the Regent, if people in this world want to protect someone, then another person must be of value.”
"If Zhaoning dares to ask, what value do I hold in Your Highness's heart?" she asked casually, seemingly unconcerned about the promise she had made to him, and instead asked with a smile.
"As for its value, I don't actually know," Yan Chaoji said frankly.
He pondered for a moment, then fell silent.
She seemed to find it boring as well and didn't ask any further questions.
After a long while, Yan Chaoji finally spoke: "But I know that I do not want you to suffer even the slightest harm."
“With me, you can laugh whenever you want and be angry whenever you want.”
"If your status as the eldest princess is a constraint for you, then I am willing to grant you another identity."
"So, this must be what the script was about..."
"Is the Red Phoenix Star in motion?"
Yan Chaoji was deep in thought when a word suddenly popped into his mouth.
The regent, who was usually so stern on the battlefield, now seemed like a naive young man, his words tinged with hesitation.
The woman in front of him chuckled upon hearing this, her phoenix eyes instantly turning bright red.
"Is the Red Phoenix Star in motion?"
“Yan Chaoji”
"You'd better not use words carelessly."
Her radiant appearance seemed to transport the two of them back to the small village, where they spent those days together, and even just enjoying her cheerful laughter was a wonderful memory.
The ink is so rich and moving, it makes one want to keep going until death.
At that moment, Yan Chaoji suddenly understood why he was so reluctant to take his eyes off her.
The world is full of conspiracies and hardships.
He was once a puppet of his elder brother, and his freedom was restricted to too many things.
On one side of the moat, he offered frank advice because of her similar situation, but he never expected that it would cause a rift between the two of them.
On the hunting grounds, he didn't offer any help, but she saved him once.
In Jinhe Village, when she was looking for him, he became nervous.
......
It seems that he only reveals his hidden side in front of her.
All of this has led to a tangled web of fate between him and her, making it impossible to say who owes whom.
Since that's the case, he's unwilling to settle things amicably.
At this moment, Yan Chaoji remembered the exotic flower he had been infatuated with many years ago. In that instant, he suddenly understood why, no matter how much time had passed, he had not forgotten what that flower looked like.
What he can't forget isn't the flower.
Rather, it was that moment of ease and comfort he felt.
Who could have foreseen that a mere hundred years would be the end of his life, and that for decades to come he would be a puppet in the hands of the imperial power, unable to do as he pleased?
He was about to be relentlessly pressured by his elder brother.
step...
Two steps...
Three steps...
......
He's more than a hundred paces away, so how can he retaliate?
With the trip to Lizhou imminent, will the Emperor let this opportunity slip by?
As long as Yan Jinfu remains in his hands, his elder brother will be wary of him and will try every means to force him to hand over the military tally that their father bestowed upon him.
He longed to recapture the comfort and joy of that day.
At this moment, I long to find her even more.
I wish to offer her good fortune in return, hoping to bring her a hearty smile.
He once felt that a hundred years of life was an unbearable long time, but why does he now feel that spending a lifetime with her is not so difficult?
Yan Chaoji suddenly had a premonition...
Nothing has changed.
But in this world, there was someone in his sight.
......
"I will be going to Lizhou in a few days." The dignified man beside the stone table wore a dragon robe and a jade crown. When he did not smile, his aura was cold and stern, and his hawk-like eyes were filled with unyielding solemnity. His narrow waist was bound by a black ribbon.
"You don't need to worry about your brother."
He will handle things well and temporarily prevent his brother from posing a threat to her.
"Your Majesty need not worry about me." Yingning stood up, walked to a bamboo grove in the courtyard, and gently touched a bamboo leaf, causing it to tremble.
“Zhao Ning is not without the ability to protect itself.”
Yan Chaoji knew that she was quite skilled in martial arts and was about to speak when he heard her say, "But since the Regent is so willing, why not do Zhaoning a favor?"
"What kind of help?"
"Protect A-Chu for me," Ying Ning said.
Yan Chaoji was suddenly taken aback, wondering why she had such a strange explanation. After thinking for a moment, he still nodded.
"I agree."
"I will protect both you and Bai Chuning."
*
"Your Highness, should we go in or not?" the servant outside the sedan chair asked cautiously, while the person inside, shrouded in mist and rain, hesitated, a rare occurrence for him.
Yan Qizhen stroked the jade thumb ring, his eyes lowered, revealing a deep and unfathomable expression.
Why did he have to come?
It was clear that Chu Ning's medicine could be delivered by servants as usual.
Yan Qizhen suddenly felt that it was somewhat inappropriate for him to visit her at her residence today.
He knew that the relationship between the two was merely one of cooperation, and not, as the "rumors" suggested, that they were in close contact or even had the potential for a marriage alliance.
But the events of that day haunted him almost every night, and the pungent smell of flowers deep within his body once again roared and crawled out from within him.
He came even though it was just a thought.
*
"Fourth Prince." Yingning waved her hand lightly, dismissing the surrounding servants and maids.
Yan Qizhen's gaze fell on Ying Ning. He noticed that she was not wearing Western Region clothing today, but rather a light blue dress with a single golden partridge on the upper half of her arm. Her jade-colored arms drooped slightly, which seemed to make his heart tremble.
“Zhao Ning”.
Instead, she remained calm and composed: "Fourth Prince, have you come to deliver medicine today?"
"Yes." Yan Qizhen replied, his hazy, misty eyes leaving her, but still without any expression. He wore an indigo-blue robe with jade and cloud patterns, and his brows no longer held the false smile.
"Since I have some free time today, I have come to deliver the medicine myself."
"Your Highness truly has many talented and skilled subordinates. Many famous doctors were unable to cure A-Chu's poison, but Your Highness found a remedy that could alleviate it."
“If I have the chance, Zhao Ning would also like to visit this famous doctor,” Ying Ning said with a smile.
"Perhaps one day we can find a way to cure the poison in A-Chu's body."
Although Yan Chaoji did not show any unusual behavior, a storm was brewing in his heart. He could only say quite seriously, "I only met this person by chance. This doctor has temporarily left the capital due to family matters in the past few days."
"When he returns, he will surely introduce him to the princess."
"Your Highness is really going to great lengths," she mumbled.
Yan Qizhen simply lowered his eyes and remained silent, as if he were genuinely thinking of the other person's best interests.
She spoke again: "However, the capital city has been quite lively lately."
"Today, the Third Prince's homosexuality has become the talk of the town." She smiled slightly, as if she had guessed who was behind it.
"His Highness the Fourth Prince still resorted to ruthless measures."
This Yan Qizhen has truly trampled his third brother in the bud.
I heard that a few days ago, several officials from the court, while having a small gathering on Mingxin Lake, accidentally bumped into a luxurious pleasure boat with an unpleasant melody.
The most upright and incorruptible official, Chen, intended to express his apology to the other party, but was instead berated by a courtesan who suddenly emerged from the painted boat opposite.
"What's wrong with your boatman?!"
"Do we have a distinguished guest on our ship?" The man of the night wore a long robe adorned with flowers and birds, seemingly unconcerned that his upper body was almost completely bare, and his lower body was only covered by loose white underpants.
"What are you looking at?! Haven't you ever seen a beautiful woman before?!"
This remonstrating official, Chen, had served for many years and had never encountered such disrespect from a worldly person. His already graying temples nearly grew a few more white hairs from anger, and he was instantly filled with rage.
"You...you man...you have no sense of shame!"
“We are both men. When have I ever lacked a sense of shame? It is you, you old geezer, who has been staring at me without taking your eyes off me. You are the one who has no shame.” As he spoke, the man of the night pulled his clothes up as if he were really worried that Chen Jianguan was spying on him.
Chen Jianguan was naturally furious, but he never expected that this rather dissolute man would humiliate him in such a way.
A few words of argument between the two somehow drew people from both ships out of the water.
On one side was an official who offered advice to the emperor, and on the other was a man from a secluded, brothel-filled area.
In the past, the officials who offered advice in court relied on their eloquence to support their arguments, but they never imagined that these men who did not uphold chastity could be even more shameless than they were.
"You bunch of old devils!"
"Pah, pah, pah! You are all ugly, you probably can't get any favors from the officials!"
"shameless!"
"You are nothing but a bunch of unloved old slaves!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, you actually dare to look at my body. You look respectable on the surface, but you're nothing but a lowlife!"
........
The various foul language made the group of officials blush with anger.
This also attracted many boats to tour the lake. Chen Jianguan had never been stared at so many curious people before, and some even looked at them with rather strange eyes.
"Who exactly are you?!"
"How dare they openly insult an official of the imperial court here! I will definitely investigate this thoroughly!" Chen Jianguan was almost turning pale with anger as he questioned them.
"Oh my, an official appointed by the imperial court."
“I’m really scared. But... if you disturb the important person again, it won’t just be you who will be investigating.” The man who appeared first said.
"You'd better get out of here right now."
At this moment, Chen Jianguan's anger almost erupted. In the past, when he encountered injustice or unfairness, he had never been afraid, even when it came to the emperor. On the contrary, he would argue with him.
Who would have thought that a man of the night would dare to speak to him like that?
"I'd like to see what distinguished guest this is," Chen Jianguan ordered, and the boat immediately moved closer.
He wanted to see if any noble person could be more honorable than His Majesty!
On Mingxin Lake, it's one thing to indulge in debauchery in broad daylight, but to make such a big fuss about it?!
In this imperial city, there are still such arrogant and unchaste women!
As the boat drew closer, the group of men who had been posing and preening seemed to panic and shouted loudly:
"What...what are you doing?!"
"Indecent assault!"
"Indecent assault! Someone actually tried to board the ship and abduct a civilian?!"
"Quickly report to the authorities!"
"Don't disturb the important person!!!"
...
Several sharp male voices suddenly appeared in panic, as if Chen Jianguan and his group had really frightened them. After Chen Jianguan and his group boarded the ship, several people even came to pull them away.
"You all get down now!"
"How indecent!"
......
Several splashes of water were heard, and two remonstrating officials were pulled into the water by the frail "man" who had broken free, causing chaos in the scene.
At that moment, a faint sound came from inside the cabin.
"liquor..."
"Bring me wine!" A deep voice came from inside the pavilion, sounding somewhat unlike a woman's.
Upon hearing the shout, Chen Jianguan disregarded his companions and was determined to see who the people on this ship were!
He immediately stepped past the several figures and pushed open the door to take a look!
Suddenly, his expression collapsed.
A dozen or so naked, pale-skinned figures were lying around drinking in various parts of the boat, some of the men even prostrating themselves naked at the feet of the person in the main seat.
When Chen Jianguan pushed open the door, all he could smell was the overwhelming stench of alcohol and a slightly nauseating odor.
On the small couch at the head of the table was a face familiar to Chen Jianguan. In the arms of this man lay the body of another strong, dark-skinned man, whose expression was still that of someone drunk.
The Third Prince...
It was actually the Third Prince...
Chen Jianguan suddenly felt as if a piece of the sky had collapsed!
*
When Ying Ning mentioned this matter, Yan Qizhen did not hide anything: "Third Prince's preferences are his private matters, and I did not do anything about it."
Yes, nothing much.
It simply meant that he was ineligible for the throne.
"From now on, I suppose Third Brother will no longer need to hide anything and can indulge in pleasure," he said slowly, his gaze lingering on another person.
"Speaking of this matter today, I must thank Princess Zhaoning."
"At this time, my power was gradually stabilizing, which can be considered as thanks to the princess."
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