Chapter 54 The Crown Prince, hiding behind a tree, witnessed everything...
Xiao Yan ultimately sat to the left of Emperor Yuan of Wei, looking quite pleased with himself.
During the banquet, Emperor Yuan of Wei showed great care and concern, which was evident in his words.
It was truly a touching scene of a loving father and filial son.
Xiao Jue lowered his head, his gaze sinister, and coldly curled his lips, his fingers tightening as if he wanted to crush the cup in his hand into dust.
The officials below whispered among themselves.
Only Cui Shoujie, sitting at the head of the court officials, remained unmoved, displaying an air of nonchalance.
In fact, both Xiao Jue and Xiao Yan were born to Cui Wanqing, and ultimately, they were both inextricably linked to the Cui clan of Qinghe.
Both were his cousins, so it didn't make much difference to him who ultimately ascended the throne.
He would even be more pleased if Xiao Yan were chosen as the crown prince.
Xiao Jue's position as crown prince was due to him being the eldest son of the legitimate wife, and had nothing to do with him. When he ascended the throne in the future, he would at most be addressed as his maternal uncle.
But if it were Xiao Yan, it would be a completely different story.
Although he was not the eldest son of the legitimate wife, the position of crown prince should not have originally been his. If His Majesty intended to change the crown prince, and he was willing to help him at the appropriate time, then His Majesty would naturally remember this favor and listen to his opinions more in court affairs.
No matter how you look at it, it's a good deal.
Thinking this, he subtly curved his lips into a smile, brushed off the tea foam, and took a sip of tea.
——
He could hear the laughter and conversation of Emperor Yuan of Wei and Xiao Yan, a father and son, who were clearly not his own achievements. Yet, he used them to lavishly praise Xiao Yan, and some officials who were good at reading people's expressions also followed suit and flattered him.
Xiao Jue lowered his head and gave a silent, cold laugh.
That lively atmosphere, however, was completely out of place for him.
When Consort Gui was alive, Emperor Yuan of Wei favored Xiao Che and ignored him.
Now that the Imperial Concubine is gone and Xiao Che has fallen out of favor, he has turned his attention to Xiao Yan more and more, and still cannot see him.
From beginning to end, he was the only one who was rejected.
Ha, did he really love Xiao Yan that much? Perhaps not.
He just needed a son he liked.
It was Xiao Che before, now it's Xiao Yan, it all depends on whether Jiang Chenyu lives or dies.
Since the river was swamped and fish were born, Emperor Yuan of Wei, out of love for Xiao Che, naturally favored him the most.
But when Jiang Chenyu died, Xiao Che became her most conspicuous relic in the world. Others might be reminded of her by these objects, but Emperor Wei Yuan was different. He ordered that all of the imperial concubine's relics be buried with her.
Those things only served to remind him that Jiang Chenyu was dead, and he couldn't bear to see them. After the imperial concubine's death, he became increasingly obsessed with elixirs, and his madness grew more and more pronounced.
As for Xiao Che, he probably only thought, why isn't her only son with her? Perhaps he even wanted to be with her himself.
Otherwise, he simply couldn't explain why Xiao Che had suddenly fallen out of favor.
He didn't love any of his sons.
The only person he truly loved was the Imperial Concubine.
As the one who seized the throne from the concubine's son, he was naturally out of the game from the very beginning, and he wouldn't even bother to give him such cheap fatherly love.
His father never even glanced at him.
——
Xiao Jue gulped down several glasses of wine, but the pent-up frustration in his chest wouldn't dissipate. He couldn't stay in this situation for another second.
Perhaps the only good thing about attending this birthday banquet is that I can see Yan Jiarou.
In this palace, she was the only one who loved him wholeheartedly, and only from her could he feel a sliver of true affection.
Even though that bit of sincerity was obtained through unscrupulous means and never truly belonged to him.
Xiao Jue tightened his grip on the cup slightly, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.
But so what? It's enough that she likes him.
So many years of friendship, can it not outweigh a favor from childhood? He was confident that even if she knew the truth one day, she would still treat him the same as before.
Thinking of Yan Jiarou, his eyes instantly softened.
She was warm, cheerful, lively, and affectionate, like a little sun. She must have been his only light in the palace and his only solace in his dark life.
However, when it comes to being clingy... he was slightly taken aback. Ever since returning from the Lishan hunt, she seemed to have become less clingy than before.
Not only that, he saw her less and less often.
He hadn't seen her for several days in a row. It was strange, though, because she used to go to the palace almost every day, but lately he hadn't seen her at all.
He had previously approached her to vent his frustrations about the matter, but she said she hadn't been feeling well lately, was constantly sleepy, and had very little energy, so she hadn't gone to see him.
The young girl made a vow and looked at him with such a pitiful expression. Her words were so sincere that he couldn't express his dissatisfaction, so he could only keep quiet about it.
That being said, since they were both in the palace, he could see her a few times before, but for some reason, he hadn't run into her anywhere these past few days, as if she was deliberately avoiding him.
Even when he went to Chenghuan Palace to look for her, Yingxue always said that she was not in the palace or was taking a nap, so he could only leave her alone.
He naturally didn't believe she would avoid him, but he couldn't think of a reason for it. So he thought that he would have to question her properly when they met next time. He couldn't let her easily fool him by acting cute and shedding a few tears.
Fortunately, he finally saw her today. Although he felt extremely uncomfortable at the birthday banquet, at least he got to see Yan Jiarou.
He raised the corners of his lips slightly, turned his head slightly, and looked in the direction where Yan Jiarou was.
But the moment his gaze fell upon her, a chill suddenly filled his eyes.
She sat on the opposite side, her face flushed, her fingers repeatedly tapping the outside of the cup, her other hand resting on the table, her index finger unconsciously scratching the surface—a habitual little gesture when she was nervous.
Her watery eyes gazed across at the other side, her expression a mixture of nervousness and unease, yet also a hint of unspoken shyness and annoyance, making her indescribably charming and alluring.
That expression, however, was not directed at him.
Xiao Che.
He took a deep breath, and the murderous aura within him surged wildly—
She was actually looking at Xiao Che.
While everyone's attention was focused on Emperor Wei Yuan and Xiao Yan, the two of them dared to flirt in public.
A layer of frost settled over Xiao Jue's brows as he turned to look at Xiao Che beside him.
He leaned back on the table, one hand supporting him, looking straight ahead, his gaze unwavering, fixed on Yan Jiarou.
With his hand blocking his view, Xiao Jue couldn't see the expression on his face, but could vaguely make out that his jaw moved, as if he was speaking.
If you can't hear any sound, then you're speaking with your mouth.
No one knows what Xiao Che said, but Yan Jiarou's face turned even redder, the pink spreading all the way to her chest and neck, like cinnabar mixed into creamy white milk, gradually spreading into a crimson hue.
Her slender white fingers clenched and unclenched, her brows and eyes were shrouded in a misty haze, and her eyes seemed to ripple with the light of spring water. She looked at Xiao Che and finally nodded tremblingly after a long while.
What did Xiao Che say?
What did she promise him?
Xiao Jue felt his breath catch in his throat and clenched his fists tightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xiao Che slowly sit up straight, lower his arms, and a triumphant smile on his lips.
The lanterns hanging high in the hall flickered on his face, his profile so perfect that every inch seemed to have been meticulously sculpted. He possessed the innate nobility of royalty, and also benefited from the bloodline of Lanling. His eyebrows and eyes were unrestrained and alluring, his appearance was flamboyant and arrogant, and his handsomeness was almost demonic.
He looked at him, and suddenly an unprecedented sense of panic slowly rose from the depths of his heart.
People from Lanling have always been known for their allure, a fact his father had already learned from Jiang Chenyu, and he had also witnessed firsthand how Emperor Wei Yuan was completely captivated by her.
Like mother, like son. Could Yan Jiarou have been bewitched by him too?
He clearly warned her about it this morning!
He had known all along that Xiao Che had feelings for Yan Jiarou. The two of them had always been at odds because Xiao Che was always proud and arrogant and disdained to seduce or bewitch. But could it be that Xiao Che had already gone so far as to do something shameless without his knowledge? What exactly had he done to Yan Jiarou?
Why did she repeatedly distance herself from him while exchanging flirtatious glances with Xiao Che?
Why did she show that expression to Xiao Che?
He closed his eyes tightly, trying his best to suppress the growing anger within him.
The mere thought that Yan Jiarou might have fallen for someone else made him so angry he wanted to kill someone!
Why?
Xiao Che stole everything that should have belonged to him: his father's favor, the etiquette and honor due to the crown prince. Was that not enough?
Why must they even take away his last glimmer of light!
How could he be so cruel!
Why, why doesn't he just die! Why doesn't he die with his mother!
The Lanling clan is truly despicable. His mother seduced the emperor, and now he's seducing his own woman. They're always stealing what belongs to others; they're utterly despicable!
He lowered his gaze, concealing the gloom in his eyes, and made a gesture as if to pick up the cup, while keeping an eye on the two people's every move.
He wanted to see what they were up to.
A moment later, Yan Jiarou indeed stood up awkwardly, saying that she was happy because of her father's birthday and had drunk a few too many cups. She was too drunk to drink and wanted to leave the table temporarily to get some fresh air and get rid of the smell of alcohol.
Emperor Yuan of Wei had always been lenient and fond of Yan Jiarou, so he naturally agreed readily upon hearing the suggestion.
Yan Jiarou then stood up shakily, looking like she couldn't hold her liquor, rubbing her temples, and staggered away from her seat.
Xiao Jue clearly noticed that before she left, she glanced at Xiao Che seemingly unintentionally. Whether she was really drunk or not, her cheeks were tinged with rouge, her eyes were watery, and she was full of spring passion.
Sure enough, after a while, Xiao Che also found an excuse to leave.
Xiao Jue clenched his fist secretly.
Once he left, he couldn't hold back any longer and also made an excuse to leave the table.
Fortunately, Emperor Wei Yuan's attention was now entirely on Xiao Yan, and he did not question the princes who left the banquet one after another.
——
Xiao Jue followed Xiao Che at a distance, watching him pass through the covered walkway, around Taiye Pond, and gradually move away from the hustle and bustle of the birthday banquet before turning into a rockery.
Xiao Jue stopped in his tracks and immediately hid behind a pillar, only slightly turning his body to peek out and observe Xiao Che's actions in front of him.
He stopped at the entrance of the cave in the artificial hill, but instead of going in, he turned and moved closer to the side.
Xiao Jue caught a glimpse of a pale pink gauze dress peeking out, and a shawl swaying gently in the night breeze.
Xiao Che suddenly moved closer, and Yan Jiarou said anxiously, "No...not here..." Weren't we always inside the artificial cave before? Why are we being asked to come here now that we're outside... Although this place is secluded and not easily noticed, it's still a bit risky, and she's scared.
This time, Xiao Che didn't listen to her: "What are you afraid of? They're all at the birthday banquet up front right now, no one will come out."
"But...but..."
Xiao Che chuckled: "But what?"
Before she could speak, he leaned down and kissed her lips, tracing and licking them, teasing her relentlessly: "After you went back, did you miss me?"
People from Lanling have always been exceptionally gifted in the art of flirting between men and women.
Yan Jiarou was dizzy from his kisses and forgot all about it for a moment. She softly wrapped her arms around his lean waist and nodded, saying, "I want to..."
Xiao Che gave an ambiguous "Oh?" and asked, "What do you miss about me?"
Yan Jiarou paused, a hint of confusion in her eyes: "I..."
Xiao Che raised an eyebrow, and seeing her so helpless and bewildered, he couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.
"Silly girl, you can't even say a few words to comfort someone. You probably only care about my blood, don't you?"
He gently bit her fair earlobe and said with some resentment, "You little ingrate."
"No...no..."
Yan Jiarou buried her face in his chest and said aggrievedly, "I didn't only care about your blood..."
——
Not far away, Xiao Jue stared intently at this scene.
The woman wrapped her arms around Xiao Che's waist, and after exchanging a few words, she seemed to have finally received some kind of permission from him. She tiptoed and shakily approached his neck.
This action revealed most of the woman's face.
That night, there were no dark clouds obscuring the moon; the stars were few and far between. By the moonlight, Xiao Jue finally saw the woman's face clearly. It was Yan Jiarou!
Although I had suspected it for a while, seeing it with my own eyes finally put my mind at ease. It really was Yan Jiarou!
He stared intently at them, and couldn't help but take advantage of the darkness to move forward a little further, hiding behind an ancient cypress tree opposite the artificial hill.
The closer you get, the clearer you can see.
His beautiful and delicate younger sister was pinning Xiao Che against the artificial hill, standing on tiptoe, and leaning against his neck, eagerly sucking on something. A bright red spot on her lips was glaringly obvious against her porcelain-white face—it was blood!
Meanwhile, her third brother, who had always been at odds with her, was now supporting her waist with one hand, gently biting her earlobe, and said lazily in a magnetic voice, "Yan Yan, slow down."
"Don't forget what you promised me—if you used my blood, you have to stay away from the Crown Prince, hmm?"
The prince, who had witnessed everything from behind a tree, was furious.
He stared intently at the scene before him, only to see Xiao Che, who had turned around with Yan Jiarou and was leaning lazily against the artificial hill, seemingly taking whatever he wanted, suddenly turn his face slightly to the side.
My gaze pierced through the vast darkness and met his.
Xiao Jue was stunned, and involuntarily straightened his body, his eyes filled with overwhelming jealousy and resentment.
Xiao Che looked at him and suddenly smiled casually.
That indifferent expression made it seem as if he didn't take him seriously at all.
Xiao Jue hated that expression of his the most!
Xiao Che casually raised an eyebrow at him, deliberately coaxing Yan Jiarou into an intimate act in front of him: "Yan Yan, kiss me."
Yan Jiarou trembled, and the next moment, she indeed clung to his neck and obediently kissed him.
He loosely wrapped his arm around her slender waist, continuing to kiss her with ease. Their lips and teeth intertwined, licking and tracing, flirting to the fullest extent, while his gaze was fixed on Xiao Jue.
Those alluring, pale brown eyes were filled with undisguised desire.
Chi//Naked possessiveness.
He brazenly embraced Yan Jiarou and kissed her passionately, but his gaze was fixed on him, defiantly asserting his dominance over her.
Every move he made was a provocation to him; what he wanted to say was clearly—
Yan Jiarou—is mine.
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