Chapter 92 1...
Lan Huaien was slightly taken aback. Although he had a lot of questions to ask, he still stepped forward to help her up: "Your Highness, please come in first. You've suffered in this cold snowy night... If there is anything urgent, you can just send someone to tell me, and I will take care of it. Why trouble Your Highness to brave the wind and snow to leave the palace..."
As he spoke, he glanced behind her, but didn't see any eunuchs following her. She left the palace alone? Lan Huaien frowned, but didn't ask any further questions.
Yan Chao was thus escorted into the Lan residence. The servants, well aware of the rules, never dared to interfere in their master's affairs, and didn't even raise their heads, pretending not to see anything, each busy with their own tasks.
The side room had already been prepared. As soon as Yan Chao stepped inside, she was enveloped in warmth, and the snowstorm in her heart instantly melted away. But only for that instant, she suddenly awoke from her cold numbness, and her teeth chattered.
Yan Chao refused to remove his cloak, burying his head in his hat. The heat from the charcoal fire in the brazier burned his face, making it red and hot to the touch.
She watched silently as Lan Huaien took over the work from the servants, busily serving tea and water. Then he presented her with a bowl of ginger soup, holding a spoon and saying, "Your Highness has been outside in the cold for so long; I'm afraid the chill might seep into your body. Please drink some ginger soup to warm yourself up."
“I’m not cold.” She lowered her eyelashes, staring at her fingertips. She then raised her hand and took off her cloak, feeling a sudden lightness in her body, as if even her breathing became easier.
Lan Huaien glanced teasingly at the slight blush on her cheeks, still holding the spoon, and insisted, "Look, your face is all red from the cold."
"It's hot..." Yan Chao protested in a low voice.
"...Your Highness, it's not medicine and it's not bitter. Drinking it won't do any harm."
Seeing his insistence, Yan Chao had no choice but to reluctantly comply. She drank the first spoonful he offered, but refused to let him feed her anymore; she felt extremely awkward. So she reached out and took the bowl, obediently drinking it all by herself. After the ginger soup, her whole body felt invigorated, and she could vaguely feel sweat seeping through her inner garment.
Lan Huaien maintained a smile throughout, and after she put down her bowl, he promptly handed her a handkerchief. Seeing that she was indeed somewhat flustered, he changed the subject and asked, "Your Highness, why did you come to see me in such a hurry? Is there something urgent?"
Yan Chao remained noncommittal, only lowering her eyes and saying, "I'm leaving tomorrow, and I wanted to see you."
"Very well. Thank you for remembering me, Your Highness. I am very pleased." Lan Huaien felt as if he had been gently tapped in the heart, and a soft, sweet feeling welled up inside him.
However, the next moment, as if he suddenly thought of something, the smile on his face froze unnaturally. He looked up at her and asked hesitantly, "...Your Highness, you wouldn't be prepared to die for your country, would you?"
Yan Chao was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized what was happening, a slight chill running through her: "I will return alive. Great Qi will win, and I will win too." Seeing his suddenly serious expression, she smiled gently: "Don't overthink it."
Lan Huaien breathed a sigh of relief, placing her cloak aside. Thinking of the scene of her walking through the snow outside the residence, he couldn't help but worry: "Your Highness ran out of the palace alone, without anyone following you. The outside world is fraught with danger; what if something really happened..."
"It's fine."
"I don't return to my residence every day. If Your Highness doesn't see me today, what will I do all by myself?"
Yan Chao lowered her head and remained silent. She hadn't thought that much about it at the time; if Lan Huaien had truly not been there, she would probably have gone back. It would have been a waste of all her enthusiasm, and perhaps the cold wind would have calmed her down after the trip.
Fortunately, he was there.
She glanced at the sky outside, avoiding Lan Huaien's question, and suddenly instructed him, "Send someone to the East Palace to inform Liang Lu that the curfew is about to end and I will stay here tonight. He knows what to do."
Driven by that impulse, she left the palace without anyone daring to stop her. Now that she'd calmed down, she was a little worried that if the news got out, it would put Liang Lu and the others in a difficult position. As for the emperor… she tried her best not to think about him.
Lan Huaien responded and immediately ordered someone to do so. Turning to her, he asked, "Would Your Highness like to take a bath?"
"good."
.
Everything was quickly prepared, and the inner room was filled with warm steam. Light curtains fell, and a red plum blossom screen carved from mahogany surrounded the room, casting soft shadows and creating a calming and reassuring atmosphere.
Suddenly found himself in an extremely unfamiliar environment, Yan Chao naturally refused to be served. He tried his best to suppress his defensiveness and unease, using deep breaths to calm his mind.
Hearing the rustling sound of water, Lan Huaien quietly retreated. Just as his hand touched the door latch, he suddenly heard Yan Chao call out to him: "Lan Huaien, stay. I only trust you in this house."
He paused for a moment, then said gently, "Alright. Don't worry, I'll keep watch outside."
“It’s cold outside, so just sit there and keep me company,” she said, her lips barely moving as she saw her own heaving chest through the mist. “Okay?”
Lan Huaien nodded: "Okay."
Time slipped away with the rising steam.
He sat frozen, every sound in the room rushing into his ears, which he then transformed into various shameful and alluring scenes by his chaotic thoughts, and he couldn't help but let his mind wander. His lips were dry from the restlessness, and his throat was slightly itchy. He controlled his rapid breathing, reached up and touched his ear, and sure enough, it was burning hot.
He pursed his lips, quietly got up, and stood by the door. He'd rather let the cold wind blow through the crack in the door; it would be more bearable.
Amitabha Buddha, this time is too hard to bear.
He paced back and forth quietly, finally unable to hold back his words: "Your Highness..."
Hearing her give a very soft "hmm" from inside, he slowly regained his composure, steadied himself, and said softly, "May I tell Your Highness a story?"
"You speak, and I'm listening."
Lan Huaien coughed lightly, exhaled, and began to recount: "In the spring of the twenty-third year of Xuan Ning, Princess Yongjia held her birthday banquet at the Xingji Earl's residence. All the high-ranking and noble families in the capital attended the banquet, and even His Highness the Crown Prince received an invitation. The grand banquet lasted until just before curfew. The banquet was filled with singing and dancing, and toasts were exchanged. Apart from Princess Yongjia, the Crown Prince was the person of the highest status. Therefore, everyone raised their glasses to toast each other, and the Crown Prince could not refuse, so he had to be careful in his responses."
He paused deliberately, but heard no sound from inside.
He continued, "Not long after, the Crown Prince, slightly tipsy, took the opportunity to leave the banquet. Unexpectedly, when Cao Fu offered a toast, he drugged the wine. The prince staggered to the rockery in the Earl's residence, where he became dizzy and unable to walk. Servants then helped him to his room. As for those around the prince, they were all held back by Princess Yongjia's men. After the prince fell unconscious, he probably had no idea what had happened."
Yan Chao, behind the screen, gasped for breath, pursed his lips, and gripped the bathtub tightly with both hands. A drop of water slid down his elbow, and his heart tightened.
That night, she... truly knew nothing. Further investigations were fraught with difficulties, and since so much time had passed without any problems, they simply ignored it.
Lan Huaien was clearly aware of the inside story. He picked up the teapot on the table, took a sip of cold water, and continued, "...Cao Fu's men took His Highness away, and Shen Wei happened to see it. He chased after them but was knocked unconscious from behind. Cao Fu intended to hand His Highness over to Princess Yongjia. His Highness should be aware of Princess Yongjia's intentions."
Yan Chao's voice came through: "You're the one who saved me, aren't you?"
"Yes. When I rushed to rescue Your Highness, you were already unconscious. The Earl's mansion was in complete chaos because of the dead bodies. I had no choice but to take Your Highness back to the Lan residence temporarily. But as soon as I put you on the bed, Your Highness vomited all over me."
Yan Chao: "..."
"Fortunately, it was I who changed your clothes myself, so your identity was not exposed. If Princess Yongjia had found out, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Fortunately, it was just a close call."
He became more and more excited as he spoke, then patted his chest with relief, took another sip of water, and exclaimed, "You don't know, when I took off your robes, I was shocked. I thought the Crown Prince had also been castrated!"
"..."
Yan Chao didn't know what to think, his lips twitched, and he was speechless.
Coming to her senses, she involuntarily shrank back, looking down at her own body—both incredibly familiar and incredibly strange. Because of her status, she had been extremely careful to take care of her health over the years, rarely daring to fall ill. The imperial physician said the poison from the tea had been completely removed, and this body was undoubtedly healthy.
But then she suddenly wondered what the body of an ordinary woman must look like. She had never seen it, only occasionally glimpsed it through paintings and calligraphy, and felt a little shy about it.
"So you knew all along, yet you still came to tease me."
She murmured to herself, no wonder he wasn't very nervous when she checked his identity. She, on the other hand, had been guarding it so cautiously, never expecting he'd already found out.
Lan Huaien explained, "Your Highness, please don't be angry. I truly didn't mean it at the time."
“I know,” she exhaled and said softly, “Thank you.”
.
After Yan Chao finished bathing, he wrapped himself in a bathrobe and crawled into the brocade quilt. No matter what he said, he wouldn't listen, only making "hmm" sounds repeatedly.
Lan Huaien sighed and raised his voice to say goodbye. As soon as he turned around, he heard her mumble, "Come back right away, I have something to tell you."
He smiled and agreed, gently lowered the curtain, closed the door, and left.
The room quieted down, and Yan Chao peeked out. But the burning heart in her arms, no matter how tightly she hugged her chest, couldn't be contained; it pounded wildly. She was even afraid it would slip out of her eyes, so she closed them and curled up into a ball.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she heard a faint sound of a door opening, but she refused to turn her head. The door closed again, and the footsteps gradually became clearer.
Lan Huaien's voice came from outside the curtain, calm and steady: "Your Highness, do you have any further instructions?"
She lowered her eyes and softly called out, "Come here."
He slowly approached the bed, separated from her by a curtain. He lowered his eyes, trying not to look in her direction, but his throat couldn't help but rise and fall, and the warmth made his eyes mist over with a layer of eager mist.
Yan Chao drew back the curtain, a few strands of her hair brushing against her cheek, her eyes gazing quietly at him. Seeing Lan Huaien in his nightgown, she smiled slightly and took his hand.
Lan Huaien instinctively grasped her, his heart trembling instantly. He had never seen her like this before, nor had he ever imagined she could exist like this.
His captivating eyes gazed deeply at her, and his long-suppressed impulse finally erupted. He took a deep breath and leaned down to pounce on her.
The brutal plunder began with her lips; she had long forgotten what he had taught her, and could only try her best to respond. Finally able to catch her breath, she looked up to find his eyes.
"Lan Huaien, I came here tonight specifically for you."
Her face flushed red, but she refused to admit defeat. She leaned forward and tried to nibble at his chin, attempting to make him shift his body; some things were truly unsettling.
"Your Highness..." Lan Huaien hissed softly, grabbed her hands and pinned them to the bed, then lowered his head and took one of her earlobes into his mouth, teasing her with a half-sucking, half-biting motion.
Her body went limp, and she was lost in a daze of passion.
"I know you can't help yourself, and neither can I."
Her undergarments were pulled open. He embraced her and immediately noticed that her entire body was tense, so he knew she was still nervous and just pretended to be brave.
That makes sense. She never easily lets anyone get close to her, so this sudden intimacy with him shows she hasn't fully opened up yet. She probably hasn't even opened her heart, but instead hugged him tightly.
He smiled slyly, lowered his head, and coaxed softly, "Your Highness, don't be afraid..."
"Don't call me Your Highness." Her voice was slightly hoarse.
Your Highness should not be here at this moment, nor should Your Highness be secretly colluding with treacherous eunuchs. Only Yan Chao would disregard all consequences and rush to Lan Huai'en.
"Then how about I call you Chaochao? Chaochao as in morning and evening."
She opened her eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her skin against his, in unrestrained pleasure. When the pain became too intense, she pushed him away in resistance, gritting her teeth and cursing, "You damned eunuch!"
Lan Huaien refused to let go, already lost in the pleasures of love, and blurted out incoherent promises: "Even if I die, I'll still be your eunuch."
The snow fell silently outside the house.
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