Chapter 176
"This humble monk owes Benefactor Bai two wishes, and Bai Chuning is one of them."
"Another wish is for you to pray for your own safety." Wuwei stopped looking at Bai Chuning, his narrow eyes shifting slightly as he noticed the woman beside him.
It seemed they were hoping she would say something.
Unfortunately, he didn't get to hear those words. Wuwei stared intently at Yingning. The woman with dark hair beside him wasn't wearing any forehead ornaments today; instead, her smooth forehead was exposed.
Those unfathomable phoenix eyes did not look at him.
After a moment, Wuwei heard her speak: "Then protect him and may he live a peaceful life."
*
Tenant courtyard.
In a pitch-black side room, a withered hibiscus flower lay dormant.
Only when a door was slightly opened did the dark figure quickly rise and walk to the side of another figure, his words filled with deep longing:
"Ah Ning, you've finally arrived."
"You haven't seen me for three days."
"Are you tired of me?"
He gently tugged at the hem of her dress, his watery eyes trying to catch her expression.
Unfortunately, it was too late, and he couldn't see clearly.
“A-Ning…”
Having not seen her for the past few days, the restlessness within me almost consumed me completely.
Even though he was in a terrible situation, he managed to get her to come see him every night by threatening Bai Chuning's life.
But she did not appear for three whole days. Yan Qizhen knew that he had lost all his power today, and under such double torment, he felt uneasy even in her presence.
But in his heart, he stubbornly believed that she cared about him.
Thinking about this makes these days seem less difficult.
Being near her, even just touching her scent, can soothe my body.
For the past three days, the scent of the pirimica flower has almost enveloped him in a dreamlike state where he was oblivious to the outside world.
He was constantly sensing his body in a state of agitation and relief.
"Yan Qizhen".
"You look rather ridiculous." Yingning noticed that his full head of black hair was not tied up, but was casually draped over his back, making him look somewhat vulnerable.
The hazy figure, however, was completely unaware, and simply reached out and touched her wrist.
Whatever she says is fine.
You see, she didn't appear for three whole days. She must have thought of him, so she came to see him now.
“A-Ning…” He gripped her wrist tightly, like a young animal that had found a place to rely on.
Even though he seemed to have returned to being the fourth prince who humbly sought survival in the palace, he still had her by his side, didn't he?
He was not alone.
Do you know why I haven't come for three days?
She clenched her left hand tightly, while her other hand touched his earlobe.
Suddenly, that red mole became as vivid as blood.
Why...?
His voice trembled, and waves of tingling sensations almost pulled him into a dreamlike state from the touch of his earlobe.
"These past few days, the Empress has sent word, inviting me to the palace."
Yan Qizhen's body trembled.
"I declined due to feeling unwell." Her voice reached his ears, which seemed to ease his mind considerably.
“A-Ning…”
"Don't go."
How could someone as intelligent as him not know the reason?
"But today the palace issued an imperial decree, ordering me to pay my respects to His Majesty tomorrow."
"Fourth Prince, do you know why His Majesty insists on seeing me?" She spoke softly, but Yan Qizhen, due to his strange physical condition these past few days, did not catch the smile in her voice.
“A-Ning…”
"Father wants to see you...don't go see him." Yan Qizhen raised his face, his eyes already showing lust, but he couldn't hide his worry.
"It's all my fault."
"I originally thought that since the Western Regions Emperor refused the marriage proposal, my father probably wouldn't harm you."
“But it seems that’s not the case.” Yan Qizhen’s voice trailed off.
"Yan Qizhen, there's something I've always been curious about."
"Ah Ning, what are you curious about... just ask away."
Yan Qizhen was filled with fear and unease. He hadn't seen Ying Ning for several days, and after seeing her tonight and hearing this news, he was afraid that he had done something wrong.
"If you want power and status, then you have already achieved your goal."
"I've always been curious about the throne..."
"What is it that tempts you?" Her voice was captivating, causing Yan Qizhen's chest to rise and fall gently.
In the darkness, Yan Qizhen did not notice her expression.
Her watery eyes were almost brimming with tears, and her eroticism was about to overflow.
"The throne..."
"I wouldn't have dared to imagine this when I was young."
As he endured so much torment, Yan Qizhen sometimes felt resentful and wondered why he had to be born into royalty.
Although the emperor had few children, each of them held a prominent position.
At that time, he could only wear oversized robes to try his best to cover up those unsightly marks, watching the other princes laugh and play.
Why...
Why, even though they were both princes, did he have to endure all that disgusting stuff...?
And yet they could laugh without restraint...
He sometimes thought that even being born into an ordinary family would be better than living in the palace.
He will have ordinary parents and grow up running alongside the children on the street.
Instead of...
In the cold palace, only people dressed as eunuchs came and went, their mocking claws reaching out to seize him and then casually crushing his body into pieces.
Why...
He has to go through this...
Once he grew old enough to understand, after the monthly palace banquets, the princes would gather together to chat and laugh, naturally preventing him from returning to the palace.
Yan Qizhen remained silent at the edge of the crowd, quietly watching the other princes gather and play together.
One day, he noticed that the eunuchs beside him were bowing and scraping to them, showing none of the fierceness they had shown towards him.
Yan Qizhen seemed to suddenly understand something.
He had no status...
Do we have to suffer all this?
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