Chapter 118 Chapter 118 He devised a plan to get Yan Jiarou to kill...
Upon hearing this, Yan Jiarou stopped in her tracks, hesitated for a moment, and finally turned to look at him: "What did you say?"
Xiao Jue slowly curled the corners of his lips: "I said, I have found a cure for your strange illness."
"Just three days ago, I found out where the mute doctor was. He knew how to completely cure this strange disease and told me the method."
Yan Jiarou frowned and said, "But... a few months ago, Xiao Che consulted a mute doctor for me. He clearly said at the time that I could only rely on Xiao Che to help me, and there was no cure."
Xiao Jue scoffed, "That's because Xiao Che didn't want you to know."
He looked at Yan Jiarou, a strange smile creeping onto his lips: "And I, of course, have my own way of getting the mute doctor to tell me the truth."
"Jiarou, do you want to hear it?"
Yan Jiarou twisted the handkerchief in her hand, biting her lip, her face showing struggle: "I..." In the end, she shook her head: "Since Xiao Che doesn't want me to know, I won't listen..."
She had just promised Xiao Che that she would behave herself from now on, and that she would not do anything he disliked.
Moreover, she trusted Xiao Che; he wasn't that kind of person, nor would he stoop to doing such a thing. If there really was a way to cure her strange illness, he certainly wouldn't hide it from her.
Besides, when Xiao Che asked the mute doctor if there was a cure, he clearly shook his head.
If there really was a way, the mute doctor had no reason to lie to him. If he cured her, Xiao Che would definitely reward him handsomely.
Unless that method is not the right way.
Thinking this through, she felt there was something strange about the matter, and decided she didn't want to listen anymore: "I...I don't want treatment anymore, I'm leaving..."
Xiao Jue gritted his teeth and said, "You do whatever he tells you to do, Jia Rou. You've always been spoiled, how come you've been tamed like this? You just listen to him like this?"
"You're not going to treat it? Do you want to depend on him for the rest of your life? Once this strange disease flares up, you'll be like a female dog in heat, wagging your tail and begging for his mercy without any dignity. Do you want to live like that?"
“As long as this strange illness remains uncured, you will be controlled by him. You will have to do whatever he tells you to do. Jiarou, do you really want this? Besides, with this strange illness, can you really tell whether you truly like him or are just affected by it? Do you want to live your whole life in this state of confusion?”
"Don't you really want to figure out your true feelings?"
"Do you even realize that because of this strange illness you're clinging to Xiao Che like this, if this goes on for too long, he'll definitely get annoyed. What will you do then?"
"I..." Yan Jiarou's heart grew increasingly turbulent as she listened. After a moment's thought, she looked up at him and said:
"Then tell me, how can this strange disease be cured completely?"
Xiao Jue's lips curled up: "It's very simple. All you need to do is take a dagger and stab it into the third rib of his right chest. At that time, the bond between you and Xiao Che that the wild fox planted on you will naturally disappear, the mark will fade, and the strange illness will be cured. However, the time is not ripe yet. Be patient and wait for the right moment. I will tell you then. When you act, Xiao Che will be unprepared and you will be able to strike him down in one blow."
"What did you say? You want me to stab him?!"
"That's right, only in this way can the bond be broken."
"No!" Yan Jiarou said resolutely, "I won't hurt him!"
Xiao Jue frowned, enduring the pain, and said, "Jiarou, it's just the right chest, not a vital spot. Besides, the Lanling people have a constitution that's different from ordinary people, they won't die so easily. What are you worried about?"
"That won't do either. Even if he doesn't die, he'll still get hurt, bleed, and feel pain. Besides, people from Lanling feel pain ten times more than ordinary people. How can I hurt him?"
“Brother Crown Prince, I can’t do that. I can’t hurt him for my own selfish reasons. If I have to stab him to cure the illness, then I won’t get treatment.”
Xiao Jue's face suddenly darkened: "It's just a flesh wound, and you're so distressed? He only sheds a few drops of blood and suffers a little pain. Is that more important than curing your strange illness? Jia Rou, don't be silly. If he's not even willing to make this sacrifice for you, then how can he be truly sincere towards you?"
"Whether he gets hurt or not is very important to me. Crown Prince, I should grow up. I need to learn to take care of people. He treats me well, so I should treat him well too. I can no longer be so selfish and willful, and wear down his love for me. From now on, I will never do anything that would hurt him or cause him to bleed, or even cause him to lose a single hair."
"How noble! So what about your strange illness? You're not going to treat it either?" Xiao Jue was furious and blurted out, "Or do you not care at all, and can even use the excuse of your strange illness to enjoy marital bliss? It seems that the taste of the Lanling people is indeed intoxicating. Once you've tasted it, you've become addicted, haven't you?"
Yan Jiarou originally wanted to talk to him properly, but Xiao Jue's attempts to persuade her back failed, and he became sarcastic and strange. She got annoyed and simply went along with his words, saying, "That's right! I don't care! Xiao Che and I are going to be affectionate every day anyway. The people of Lanling are gifted and energetic, so there will be no shortage of antidote. Why should I hurt him to cure that strange disease? I'm willing to bear this strange disease for the rest of my life, and I'll just consider it a bit of fun."
"Your Highness, that's all I have to say. If you have nothing else, I'll take my leave." Without looking at Xiao Jue's pale face, she lifted her skirt and ran away quickly.
Xiao Jue slowly clenched his fist, then suddenly turned around, watching Yan Jiarou's voice gradually fade into the distance, his eyes filled with gloom.
In the past, she would never have been so disobedient and disobedient to him.
Xiao Che, it's all your fault! It's all because of you that Jia Rou has become like this!
——
Since his previous failure, Xiao Che had temporarily halted his actions. Firstly, the storm of the rebellion had just subsided, and any rash moves would only attract attention and increase suspicion. Secondly, the time was not yet ripe; some things could be left to wait. He naturally had his own matters to attend to and did not need to focus all his attention on Xiao Jue.
During this period, he was busy with civil affairs, water conservancy projects, and tax reforms. Water conservancy goes without saying. His new policies not only simplified tax procedures but also reduced the layers of exploitation by officials in the middle.
This is a beneficial move for both the country and its people.
His popularity among the people is growing, while Xiao Jue is unable to dispel the rumors of his inability to have sex. It's only a matter of time before the crown prince is deposed.
Now, we are just waiting for the right opportunity.
In three months, it will be the annual "Year-End Festival".
The "Year-End Sacrifice" existed in previous dynasties. The end of the year is the time of transition, and the "Year-End Sacrifice" implies "reform and innovation." There were examples in previous dynasties where the crown prince was punished for his misconduct during the "Year-End Sacrifice."
——
Inside the study of Hanguang Hall.
Xiao Che tapped the table lightly with his fingers, glanced at Yan Xiao beside him, and said, "No rush. For now, we can just observe and see how things develop. If I'm not mistaken, Xiao Yuangan will issue the decree to depose the Crown Prince during the 'Year-End Sacrifice'."
"'Year-end sacrifice'? It is indeed a suitable time. There are examples of this in previous dynasties. 'Winter is the season of solemnity and death, to cleanse the world.' The emperor personally apologizes to heaven and ancestors, saying that the crown prince has lost virtue and wishes to be deposed during this 'year-end sacrifice.' However, although Xiao Jue is mediocre and incompetent, and is now unable to have sex, he has not yet committed any immoral acts..."
"That's why we have to wait for the 'Year-End Festival.' These past few days, Xiao Yuangan has been frequently summoning the Imperial Observatory. I found an excuse to invite him over the other day and managed to get some information out of him. During the 'Year-End Festival,' there were unusual celestial phenomena: 'Mars invades the Purple Palace, and a white rainbow pierces the sun.' This is a very ominous sign, symbolizing that the Crown Prince's fate clashes with that of the Emperor and his father. If he is not deposed, the imperial star will be in danger. Xiao Yuangan has been waiting for the right opportunity to depose Xiao Jue, and now is precisely the perfect opportunity."
"Moreover, during the 'Year-End Sacrifice,' the Crown Prince will be arranged to perform the sacrifice. At that time, I will have someone replace the bronze cauldron with cracked copper. When he performs the sacrifice, the copper body will crack when it is heated, and the divine artifact will self-destruct. Wouldn't that be another calamity from heaven?"
"The celestial signs are ominous, and the divine artifacts will self-destruct. At that time, you should order people to spread rumors among the people, saying that this is divine punishment and only by deposing the crown prince can the disaster be averted. Once this becomes the will of the people, then deposing the crown prince will be an act that conforms to the will of the people and the way of heaven. Even if the civil and military officials in the court want to advise against it, they will have no way to speak."
Yan Xiao nodded upon hearing this: "Okay."
As the two were discussing matters, Xue Zhi's voice rang out from outside the door: "Your Highness, the princess has been waiting for quite some time, what do you think..."
Since that incident, the secret door has been blocked, and Xue Zhi no longer dares to let her in without prior notice.
Yan Xiao raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. Since the matter had been discussed to a near conclusion, he said, "Alright, I'll be going now, so you won't find me in your way."
After saying that, he opened the door and went out.
After he left, the door was not closed immediately.
A slender figure entered shortly afterward.
Xiao Che casually raised an eyebrow and beckoned to her: "Yan Yan, come here."
The little girl obediently walked over.
When she got to his side, he picked her up and pressed her down on the desk.
His slender fingers rested on her sash, and with a gentle tug, her cloak slipped off.
The inner ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) is extremely easy to peel off.
When she was only wearing a small undershirt, he deliberately raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Oh? Why are you not wearing anything underneath?"
Jia Rou was extremely ashamed and whispered, "No...no..."
"Nothing? You're not wearing a bra, you're going commando, aren't you?"
Jia Rou sobbed, "No... it's not that I wasn't wearing underwear..."
Xiao Che said "Oh?" and picked up a very thin beaded chain on her chest with his fingers: "There's practically no fabric at all, so what's the difference between wearing it and not wearing it?"
"Royal sister, are you dressed like this to deliberately seduce me?"
“It was you who told me to dress like this…”
"You wear it just because I told you to, and you still say you're not trying to seduce me, huh?"
Yan Jiarou stared at him in disbelief, her chest heaving. She was also a little annoyed, turning her face away and muttering, "You...you're being unreasonable..."
Xiao Che chuckled lightly: "I'm unreasonable?"
He stroked her fair earlobe: "If we're being reasonable, Yan Yan, you were the one who put on the clothes first to seduce me."
Yan Jiarou turned her head and glared at him: "You! Well, I only did it once..."
It was truly a case of one wrong step leading to eternal regret. At that time, Xiao Che was determined to separate from her, and she was truly desperate, which is why she made such a foolish move.
That Xiao Che is really something. That day, when she dressed like that, he clearly said he didn't like it. But after the two of them made up, he kept insisting that she dress like that every day. At that time, the two of them had just made up, and she was afraid that Xiao Che would change his mind, so she naturally complied with him. She didn't expect him to become more and more demanding... Every time they did something, he wanted her to wear this.
At first, the two had just reconciled and were naturally inseparable. She would visit him every day, but as time went on, she couldn't take it anymore. In particular, she would wear all sorts of sexy lingerie according to his preferences every day and tease him as he asked. This would arouse him even more, and he would always find new ways to seduce her. She became a little scared and gradually began to avoid him.
She has now truly learned what it means to "catch what you sow."
Today, Xiao Che, for some reason, went even further, actually saying that she was naked. At first, she was really shocked when she heard this. She thought that she had been driven mad by him these past few days and had really walked all the way here empty-handed.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a little aggrieved. She glanced at him with red eyes, her gaze containing a hint of reproach, yet also charming and alluring, enough to melt one's bones.
Xiao Che clicked his tongue: "What's wrong?"
"I have no idea what I did to offend you this time..."
"Don't you know?" Xiao Che pinched her chin, his fingertips gently caressing it, and said ambiguously, "Baby, you count for yourself, how many days has it been since you last came here, hmm?"
"I...it's only been three days..."
Xiao Che scoffed: "Only? It's been three days already. Why didn't you come in the first few days? Why did you have to wait until today?"
"I..." Yan Jiarou's eyes darted around, and she stammered, unable to speak.
"You won't tell me? Then I'll tell you for you. It's because if you didn't come today, you would have a relapse tomorrow. The young lady had no other choice but to condescend to come here, isn't that right?"
"I... Xiao Che, please don't say that..."
"What if I didn't say it? Is that what you meant? Does that mean it isn't what I meant if I didn't say it? Yan Yan, what do you take me for? You were only attentive for a while when you were begging me, but once you saw I was hooked, you stopped caring, didn't you? You're just brushing me off like this. Tell me, what did I do to offend you, huh?"
"I...I wasn't just bluffing...You went too far, I really can't take it anymore...It's all swollen, can't you even let me rest for a few days..."
Xiao Che's eyelashes fluttered, he lowered his eyelids, leaned closer to touch her forehead, and said in a muffled voice, "Then you can't avoid me."
"You can talk to me, but you can't hide from me."
It sounded like she was a little wronged.
Yan Jiarou was stunned for a moment, but still raised her hand to pat his back and coaxed him in return, "Okay, I won't avoid you anymore, but if I say I can't do it anymore, you have to stop immediately, okay?"
Xiao Che hummed in agreement.
Yan Jiarou thought that Xiao Che had a change of heart and would be more restrained in the future, but the next moment she heard him say in her ear: "You've rested for three days, shouldn't you be rested enough?"
He stepped back slightly, lowered his head, and pinched her wrist, playing with each of her fingers one by one, casually asking, "How's your study of 'The Eighteen Forms of the Camellia Palace' coming along?"
"Hmm..." How should she reply? Yan Jiarou could only bite the bullet and say, "It should be about time..."
"Is that so?" Xiao Che smiled. "Then let me do a spot check."
Is it a spot check or a C-level penetration test? Yan Jiarou sighed softly.
She obediently reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, thinking he would carry her to the bed as usual, but after waiting for a long time, he showed no intention of picking her up.
Jia Rou raised her head in confusion: "Brother..."
But she happened to run into his eyes, which seemed to be smiling but weren't.
“Baby,” he said in a hoarse voice, “we’ll be here today.”
"The twelfth move, do you remember it?"
"Oh no!" Yan Jiarou looked at him blankly and shook her head in embarrassment.
Her mind was a complete mess; she couldn't remember anything at all.
She couldn't answer, but Xiao Che didn't seem annoyed. He just smiled and said, "It's alright, I'll remind you."
Jia Rou breathed a sigh of relief and subconsciously said, "Thank you, brother..."
Xiao Che's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he smiled almost imperceptibly: "You're welcome."
Although his little rabbit is a bit clumsy, there are advantages to being clumsy.
See, they've been sold out and are still counting the money for the seller.
He gently brushed his thumb across her cheek, "kindly" reminding her, "Good girl, Pa is good."
"Oh, right, lift the drum up a little more... Good boy/girl."
After a rustling of clothes, a man let out a comfortable sigh.
It's like entering a place of pure bliss, an unparalleled pleasure.
"Wow, that's great, baby."
The table legs initially wobbled slightly, but then the wobbling became more and more violent, making one suspect that they would break at any moment due to the intense shaking.
...
Inside the East Palace, Su Quan carefully handed a bowl of steaming, pitch-black medicine to Xiao Jue. Xiao Jue turned his head and stared at the bowl of medicine, his eyes filled with malice. Suddenly, he reached out and knocked it over: "Drink it! What good is this medicine?! Will it cure my hidden illness, solidify my position as Crown Prince, or win back my woman's heart?!"
Su Quan trembled and quickly knelt down, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive me!"
Xiao Jue closed his eyes tightly and suddenly felt more tired than ever before.
Those old fogies at the Imperial Medical Academy only know how to prescribe ineffective remedies to fool him, but they absolutely refuse to say anything good about him in front of the Emperor. They won't even say something vague like "with careful recuperation, he may recover." No wonder the rumors outside are getting worse.
However, Xiao Che has recently achieved some political successes and gained considerable attention. If this continues, he will be deposed soon.
In a few months, it will be the "Year-End Sacrifice". According to Emperor Yuan of Wei's personality, he would start to settle accounts at the end of the year. During the "Year-End Sacrifice", the Crown Prince would need to pray for blessings and perform divination. There was a lot of work that could be done here.
If the divination results are unfavorable, it's not impossible to depose him under the guise of "divine warning." Although he hasn't committed any major offenses, he was seriously injured and depressed after falling from his horse some time ago, spending his days drunk. Later, he plotted a rebellion, which led many of his subordinates to the Eastern Palace for discussion, all under the pretense of accompanying him for drinks. He didn't care about his reputation at the time because he was putting on an act, but now he has solidified his reputation as absurd and dissolute.
If investigated further, it could also be labeled as immoral.
Moreover, there was a precedent in the previous dynasty of deposing the crown prince during the "year-end sacrifice".
He had a premonition that Emperor Yuan of Wei would do something during the "Year-End Sacrifice".
Although the effects of the elixir might prevent him from remaining conscious until the "Year-End Sacrifice," he should still do something else to ensure his safety.
For example, they could have cut off Xiao Che's supply lines by killing him directly.
Therefore, the position of crown prince can only belong to him.
They had planned for this, but before they could deploy it, they discovered that the most crucial link had a problem—Yan Jiarou was unwilling to cooperate.
This time, however, she was not easily fooled and remained unmoved by reason. In order not to hurt Xiao Che, she even ignored his strange illness.
Thinking of this, a surge of anger rose within me again.
It wasn't just because he couldn't deceive Yan Jiarou into helping him, but also because, unknowingly, Yan Jiarou had become so concerned about Xiao Che.
Xiao Jue took a deep breath, his brow furrowing inward.
But if she refuses to help him, and he wants to kill Xiao Che, no matter how much he plans, he can hardly be said to have a 100% chance of success.
No, I have to think of a way to get Yan Jiarou to agree to him.
The year-end festival is approaching, and he doesn't have much time left...
——
Time flies, and winter is here in the blink of an eye.
This winter came cold and suddenly. Yan Jiarou guessed that a heavy snowfall might come soon. She loves snowy days the most. She has loved them since she was a child. The snowflakes are pure white and fall down in a flurry, making everything white and covered in silver. It is more beautiful than anything else.
Xiao Che promised her that if it snowed this year, he would build her the most beautiful snowman in the world.
She became even more excited, eagerly anticipating the snowfall.
The first thing I do every morning when I wake up is ask Yingxue, "Did it snow today?"
However, before the snow fell, a red plum tree in the backyard of Hanguang Palace had already bloomed.
It is dazzlingly beautiful, yet it also possesses a unique charm, with a cool fragrance that is refreshing and soothing.
She approached without realizing it, and the more she looked at the flowers, the more she liked them. She stood on tiptoe, about to reach out and pluck one, when suddenly a voice shouted from the side: "Stop!"
Yan Jiarou was startled and subconsciously withdrew her hand. She turned her head and saw that the person who came was Ji Le. She didn't like her in the first place, and was startled by her sudden scolding. She immediately frowned and said, "What are you doing? Why are you so fierce? I was just picking a flower."
Ji Le walked to her side, gave a perfunctory bow, and said coldly, "Princess, please forgive me. This red plum tree was planted by His Highness when he was a child. It has great significance and has been cherished by His Highness for many years. Please do not break it at will."
Yan Jiarou was stunned for a moment, her face slightly flushed: "So it was him... who planted it." No wonder she liked it so much at first glance.
She said, "I won't damage the roots, I just want to break off a small piece of the flower branch. I won't trample it, I will put it in a vase, soak it in water and take good care of it. Since it was planted by my third brother himself, when he is busy, I can look at this flower and think of him as being by my side."
Upon hearing this, Ji Le's eyes grew even colder: "If the princess truly loves His Highness, how could she bear to casually pluck the red plum blossoms he planted?"
"I...I just like...'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, lest they wither and fall, leaving only bare branches.' I just like this red plum tree...that's why..."
"It was just standing proudly on the branch, blooming in the wind, but now it has to be broken because of the princess's words of 'like'?"
"For example, if a person truly loves another, he/she wishes the best for that person, rather than possessing that person for his/her own selfish reasons."
"Isn't the princess's affection, in the end, just selfishness?"
Yan Jiarou stared blankly at her. She was tongue-tied and didn't know how to refute her for a moment. She also felt that her words implied that she was not sincere towards Xiao Che. She felt wronged and anxious at the same time. Her eyes were filled with tears and she was about to cry. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. The next moment, she was pulled into a familiar embrace: "What's wrong? I heard you arguing from afar."
Yan Jiarou didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She leaned against him and complained pitifully, "Xiao Che, look at her, she's being mean to me... I hate her!"
Xiao Che frowned, looking at Ji Le with indifferent eyes: "What's going on?"
"Your Highness, it was the princess who insisted on breaking your red plum tree. I merely offered a few words of advice. That red plum tree was planted by you when you were a child, and you have always cherished it greatly, never allowing anyone to..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Che interrupted her, saying, "She's not just anyone."
"It's just a red plum blossom; she can pluck it if she wants. Why make her unhappy? Alright, go now."
Yingxue stared at him in disbelief, her face gradually losing color. She gave a stiff bow, then turned and walked away dejectedly.
After taking only a couple of steps, I heard a "crack" behind me—the sound of a branch breaking: "Hey, are you happy now?"
Immediately afterwards, a woman let out a soft moan: "...Not very happy, just a little bit!"
"Unless you break off another branch for me, hmm, I want the very top one, the one that's blooming the most brightly. If you have two, they can keep each other company, so I won't be lonely. Okay, Xiao Che?"
Xiao Che chuckled and reached out to pinch her soft cheek: "Of course, whatever my royal sister says is good."
As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped up, touched the tree trunk with his toes, and quickly broke off a branch of red plum blossoms, which he then handed to Yan Jiarou after landing.
Yan Jiarou cheered and threw herself into Xiao Che's arms, snuggling and pouting, "Brother is the best! I love Xiao Che the most!"
What followed was extremely ambiguous flirting.
Ji Le clenched her fists, her face deathly pale, and quickly left.
——
That day, Xiao Jue asked Su Quan about Yan Jiarou's recent movements as usual. Su Quan carefully replied, "...Everything is as Your Highness predicted. The princess still goes to Han Guang Palace every few days and remains very close to the Third Prince...However, one day I saw her coming out of the palace with red eyes, as if she had just been crying. I initially thought she had quarreled with the Third Prince, but after inquiring, I learned that she had a conflict with the Third Prince's maid, Ji Le..."
She then told Xiao Jue the whole story she had found out: "There were other eunuchs present at the time. They said that Ji Le's face turned white with anger. Everyone in the entire Han Guang Palace knew that Ji Le liked the Third Prince. She took advantage of her being different from the other servants and always acted as if she were half a master. The other servants did not like her. Only the Third Prince, out of consideration for their past friendship, allowed her to stay in Han Guang Palace."
"Oh?" Xiao Jue narrowed his eyes slowly upon hearing this: "This Ji Le may be useful to us in the future."
As soon as he finished speaking, a parrot's cry rang out from the side: "Jile! Jile!" It was a very vivid imitation.
Su Quan smiled and flattered, "The parrot that General Li gave us is truly a rare find. Other parrots can only mimic speech, but this one is even better; it can imitate human voices perfectly. Just now, those two 'Ji Le' sounds—anyone who didn't know better would have thought it was Your Highness speaking. This skill is almost on par with the ventriloquist at Yunlaiju in the West Market!"
He had only mentioned it casually, but Xiao Jue seemed to have thought of something after hearing it, and suddenly grabbed his arm and said, "What did you say? There are performers at Yunlaiju in the West Market who can perform ventriloquism? How similar are their voices? Ninety percent?"
Su Quan replied blankly, "...Your Highness, it is indeed true. Your Highness and the nobles usually frequent the East Market, so they probably don't know about the West Market. The actor at Yunlaiju is indeed skilled in ventriloquism and can imitate voices. If you don't see his face, it's almost impossible to tell the difference."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jue's eyes lit up, a strange light flashing in them: "...Good, good, I have a way. Quickly call that Ji Le to come see me."
Su Quan was momentarily stunned: "This... Your Highness..."
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go!"
"...Oh, yes!"
——
Ji Le stood inside the hall, head bowed, hands clasped together, eyes downcast on the floor tiles.
This was her first time at the East Palace, and it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous. But along with the nervousness, she was also confused: "I wonder why His Highness the Crown Prince summoned me here?"
"Ji Le, is it?" Xiao Jue sat in the round-backed chair, took a sip of tea, and asked, "How is it working for my third brother?"
"Your Highness, the Third Prince has always been kind and generous to his servants, and I will serve him faithfully."
"Oh? Is loyalty all you have for him? Hasn't your heart ever fluttered with romantic feelings?"
A flicker of panic and astonishment crossed Ji Le's face: "Your Highness, you..."
"What are you afraid of? There are plenty of women in the palace who like him, so it won't make a difference if you're one of them. Everyone knows this in hushed tones, and even if you did say it out loud, it wouldn't really matter. You like him, but he only has Jia Rou in his heart. You see him being affectionate with other women every day, and you must be very sad, right?"
Ji Le frowned, looked up at him and said, "Your Highness... what do you mean by this?"
“It’s very simple,” he said, placing the cup on the table beside him, looking up at her, and slowly curving his lips into a smile. “I can help you break them up, as long as you do as I say.”
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