Chapter 177
"When young and of lowly status, one is destined to be bullied by others."
As lowly as he was, he often couldn't even control his own life.
Yan Qizhen raised his head, and the water in his eyes shone brightly in the darkness.
"I will seize any opportunity to gain power, no matter how small."
"And proceed with caution at every step." His voice gradually calmed down, as if he were trapped in pain by those old memories.
"Then..."
He suddenly stopped speaking.
But the woman with dark hair beside him suddenly spoke up.
He noticed a hint of pity in Ying Ning's slender eyebrows, which almost made Yan Qizhen think that she understood him, but the words she uttered were extremely harsh.
"Then, we met, which gave you a chance to climb up the social ladder."
A wavering look appeared in Yan Qizhen's eyes, and he was about to explain when she continued speaking:
"You want to climb to a high position of power by stepping on me."
"Isn't it what you wanted?"
He did not deny it: "Yes."
He really did think that way at one time.
At that time, he thought she was just a pawn in a marriage alliance with the Western Regions, so he had some inappropriate thoughts.
But who knew that as he continued to walk this path and get to know her, everything turned out to be beyond his expectations.
He admitted that he was a villain.
Yet he still longed for her to stay by his side.
"I had such despicable thoughts, but you saw through them." Yan Qizhen's voice trembled slightly as he thought of this, but there was a barely perceptible weakness in it.
It was precisely for this reason that he didn't have the opportunity to involve too many schemes and plots between the two of them.
He looked at Yingning through the thick darkness of the night, but remained silent for a long time.
It wasn't until a sudden gust of wind stirred, lifting a few snowflakes which landed on the long-dilapidated stone table in the courtyard, that he seemed to emerge from his silence:
"Ah Ning, after I realized my feelings for you..."
"So I decided to spend my life with you."
"As for the marriage alliance, I believe it is foolproof."
"I asked my father to grant me a marriage, but I never expected to be rejected by the emperor of the Western Regions." The red mole on his earlobe dimmed slightly in the darkness.
Under such circumstances, the reasons why the emperor of the Western Regions refused the marriage alliance inevitably lead one to ponder many things.
Yan Qizhen chuckled lightly, not wanting the person beside him to notice his sadness: "It seems that the Emperor of the Western Regions thinks I am not a good match for Aning."
I thought...
With her father's approval, she could finally arrange her marriage, but unexpectedly, the emperor of the Western Regions ruined it with a single sentence.
Yan Qizhen couldn't help but smile wryly when he thought about this.
It seems that only the person in that position has the power to decide everything.
*
"Fourth Prince, you wouldn't be saying... that you plotted to usurp the throne for my sake, would you?"
The night was deep, and the side room was pitch black.
The two stood facing each other, one of them with his gaze fixed on Ying Ning. Even though Yan Qizhen couldn't see her face, he could still picture her features in his mind.
He didn't admit it, but instead made a self-deprecating remark:
"Who knows?"
It's true that he wanted power, and it's also true that he wanted her.
If he hadn't met her, he certainly wouldn't have had this opportunity.
He certainly wouldn't want to bring up the matter of marriage with his father at this time, nor would he be more determined to pursue power because the Western Regions emperor refused the marriage proposal.
His personal motives are intertwined with the existence of Bai Yingning.
If that's the case, then he's willing to take the gamble.
However, his ending was a loss.
*
But Yan Qizhen suddenly realized in the past few days that although he was a homeless dog, he had not lost completely.
After all, she was there for him.
Even when faced with countless possibilities, he still thought of another possibility.
I'd wanted to tell her this for three days, but I never expected to only have the chance to say it tonight: "Ah Ning."
"It is no longer convenient for me to stay in the capital for long. I contacted my old subordinates a few days ago, and I will have a chance to leave the city in seven days."
"Let's travel together to the North."
"Are you willing?"
A sliver of moonlight sneaked in, but fell on the heartless person.
"The North?"
"Is the Fourth Prince going mad?" Ying Ning asked slowly, her curiosity evident.
After speaking, she walked to Yan Qizhen's side. As she turned her head, the vermilion on her forehead reflected the pale moonlight, and she looked at him with some doubt.
“Ah Ning, I’m not crazy.”
Yan Qizhen suddenly reached out and embraced the moonlight.
"I promise you that even if we go to the North, I will always treat you the same way I did before."
He tightened his grip, but didn't notice the expression on the face of the person in his arms.
Then he added:
"I have found the antidote in Bai Chuning's body."
"I will give you the antidote once we reach the North."
“A-Ning, let’s go to the Northern Border together.”
"OK?"
He simply pressed his body against hers, and his waist softened considerably.
The scent of flowers emanated from his body, and his desire also clung to the person in his arms.
"Threatening me?"
"Yan Qizhen, when will you be able to get rid of your arrogance?" The woman in his arms suddenly interrupted him, and slowly reached out her hand.
The pyrethrum blooms for love, yet willingly withers under the moonlight.
“A-Ning…”
He was about to speak.
"Yan Qizhen".
"The smell on you is really funny." She suddenly mentioned his smell, which surprised Yan Qizhen.
"smell?"
"Do you know what this tastes like?"
Yingning raised an eyebrow slightly and gently moved closer to his body:
"The pirimica, a flower of passion."
She merely sniffed him lightly, close to his body, and it sent shivers down his spine, causing him to make a strange sound.
He wanted her to touch him.
Then she raised her hand.
"Ah Ning..." His voice trembled, yearning for her to come closer.
But her fingertips lightly touched the red mole.
"but..."
"Do you know whose body smells of this pirimica flower?"
Her voice seduced him, as if trying to drag him into an abyss.
"What...person?" Yan Chaoji's voice tightened.
A voice inside him screamed, wanting her to shut up, but the heat coursing through his body almost made him lose himself in the sensation of her earlobe.
grow numb...
blurred...
His back trembled, but Yingning's voice still rang out:
"It is said that members of the former royal family carried the fragrance of the Pimi flower, which was believed to be..."
"A person sent from heaven."
"It seems Your Highness has a secret about your body."
*
Her few words stirred up a storm in Yan Qizhen's heart, and he spoke in bewilderment:
"The previous dynasty?"
"Ah Ning... what are you talking about..." The person in the misty rain looked up at her with disbelief in their eyes and hurriedly denied it.
"When we went to Jiaohe Tower, we smelled this scent. Does Your Highness remember it?" Her voice made Yan Qizhen feel dizzy for a moment.
"If Your Highness does not believe it, you may verify it."
She seemed quite confident about the matter. Although the two were very close, Yan Qizhen inexplicably felt a sense of desolation, as if separated by a vast chasm. At this moment, too many thoughts flashed through his mind.
Was he a man from the previous dynasty?!
How is that possible?!
He was clearly the emperor's fourth son. Moreover, if he were the son of the previous dynasty, given the emperor's ruthlessness, how could he have been spared to live until today?!
but...
However, he had indeed learned from an ancient book that people from previous dynasties possessed a unique fragrance, a characteristic of royalty.
If what she said is true...
The scent on my body is that of the pirimica flower...
Impossible...
Impossible...
“A-Ning.”
"You're lying to me!" Yan Qizhen hugged her tightly, his usually thin body now bursting with strength, unwilling to hear any more strange words from her.
“A-Ning…”
"You're lying to me... aren't you?"
Yingning chuckled softly:
"cheat?"
Why should I lie?
"Does Your Highness really think you have any value to me?"
"And you said it."
"What would happen if I told the Emperor about this?"
"I'm really curious." Her hand gently fell, leaving her earlobe, then tightly pinched Yan Qizhen's chin until it left a terrible red mark on his skin.
It slowly slid across his Adam's apple.
Then came a sobbing sound.
"A descendant of the previous dynasty, will the world still tolerate you?"
Her voice trailed off almost in a high-pitched tone, as if she were genuinely looking forward to it.
Yan Qizhen's body suddenly trembled, and the force in his hand gradually increased. Regardless of where her fingertips touched him, he held her waist tightly and refused to let go.
"Then why did you save me?" When he raised his head, the corners of his eyes were already red, like a tragic scene from Jiangnan that would bring tears to one's eyes.
"Why did you save me?!"
He would rather she not save him than hear those words.
“A-Ning.”
Why are you doing this to me...?
"Does Your Highness not know?"
"Why...?!" A soft sob made his voice seem to gradually turn mad.
"Yan Qizhen, you're allowed to use others, but I'm not allowed to?" But she remained calm and unperturbed, ignoring his strange behavior.
She let go of his hand, as if she felt her palm was a little dirty.
In the pitch-black night, he could no longer see through her.
"Ah Ning...do you not want to go to the Northern Border with me?"
"Only then could you fabricate such nonsense?"
His somewhat faded eyes held an overwhelming pain, yet the man, his vision blurred, still struggled to look at her.
"If you knew earlier, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Right?"
"so..."
Before Yan Qizhen could finish speaking, he heard her voice:
"Because...you want to step on me, so naturally I need the antidote for A-Chu in your hands."
"We're both just using each other a little, why is Your Highness unwilling?"
"So you saved me... just because of Bai Chuning?"
He seemed to finally realize the truth; his watery eyes suddenly turned into a thick fog, and the scarlet color in his eyes confirmed that he was on the verge of collapse.
"Yes and no."
"At first, it was indeed because of A-Chu."
"Later I found it interesting."
She tilted her head back close to the red mole and spoke tenderly:
"Seeing that His Highness's many desires have come to naught, and all the hardships he has endured are nothing but a mirage."
"It really is quite interesting."
She had been speaking for a long time when the crimson color in the corners of the eyes of the person next to her intensified.
Much later.
The man, shrouded in darkness, burst into uncontrollable laughter, his body trembling.
The infatuation in Yan Qizhen's eyes had completely shattered, replaced by endless pain; his chest was hollowed out as if some animal had gnawed at it.
Then...
It's festering and smelly again.
Unfortunately, she didn't know.
Finally, suppressing the tearing pain in his heart, Yan Qizhen spoke in a trembling voice:
"Bai Yingning".
Why are you treating me like this?
"Tell me, why?!"
The last few words were already punctuated by sobs, but he hid his eyes in her neck. Yan Qizhen suddenly pressed his face against her neck, and because the pain in his chest was unbearable, he viciously bit the white, lotus-like part of her neck.
Tear...
pain...
But it couldn't make him better.
Then, Yan Qizhen heard her voice:
"Naturally, it's because..."
"Your Highness has hurt A-Chu."
The misty rain blurred the fragmented view, yet it lingered, unwilling to let go.
His wish, however, turned into an absurd self-deception due to a single wrong step.
Ah Ning.
You're torturing me like this...
I'll break.
*
Yan Qizhen left that very night.
"Master, Yan Qizhen has gone to find Jiaoyu." 0067 noticed Yan Qizhen's departure from the Western Regions Prefecture and immediately whispered to his master.
"He naturally wants to find out the truth."
"It's alright."
Yingning took one last look at the Min Dynasty palace.
The palace walls are made of red brick with carved beams, and auspicious beasts on the beams roar towards the sky, protecting the peace of the area. The main hall of the palace is magnificent, with a five-clawed golden dragon glaring angrily, naturally exuding a different kind of dignity.
Legend has it that longan can see through all the illusions of the world.
The descent of the true dragon signifies the enlightenment of all truths and the establishment of laws for all spirits.
once Upon a time.
The true dragon aura of this imperial palace has already become somewhat broken and dilapidated.
The palace servants at the palace gates all kept their heads down cautiously. They all knew that the atmosphere in the palace had been quite oppressive lately, so they dared not do anything outside their duties, lest they accidentally offend some noble person one day.
The strange occurrences in the palace began when rumors first circulated that His Majesty had fallen ill.
Later, some rumors circulated that His Majesty was not ill, but possessed by some ancient demon.
A few days later, they noticed that some familiar faces were missing from their surroundings. The people working in the palace were all sensible, and they immediately realized that someone was trying to silence them. Everyone was in a state of fear and unease, and dared not utter a word about His Majesty.
When Yingning arrived in front of Qiankun Palace, she glanced at the outside of the palace out of the corner of her eye.
Thinking about it... this was probably the last time I saw it.
This palace, which has stood through several dynasties, still appears majestic on the surface, but all of this is nothing but an illusion.
The pinnacle of power inevitably breeds a stronger sense of ruthlessness, and positions that bury countless bones and flesh are most capable of corrupting people's hearts.
"Summon Princess Zhaoning to the palace!" a sharp eunuch's voice rang out.
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