Chapter 61 Making an example of someone to warn others: A big gift for the Empress.
"So what? Others are others, and Yi'er is Yi'er. No matter how well others embroider, I still like the one Yi'er gave me the most."
Yuan Yan found Yang Lingyi's jealous expression increasingly adorable and couldn't help but hug him, kissing his bright eyes and gazing down at him with a smile in his eyes.
"Besides my sister, I doubt anyone would think that way. My sister just knows how to comfort me."
Although Yang Lingyi said this, her expression clearly brightened up immediately. The corners of her mouth unconsciously curved up, her eyes sparkled, her face felt hot, and she snuggled even closer into Yuan Yan's arms.
Unwittingly, the two got too close. The unmarried man and woman embraced intimately, and their bodies quickly became aroused.
The moment Yang Lingyi tilted her head slightly, Yuan Yan's breathing became a little rapid. She stared at Yang Lingyi's moist lips and lowered her head.
Yang Lingyi couldn't resist the temptation; the moment she opened her lips, Yuan Yan took them into his mouth, "Mmm..."
For a moment, all sounds in the room ceased, leaving only the wet sounds of their lips mingling.
Yang Lingyi was so overwhelmed by Yuan Yan's kisses that she went limp and couldn't breathe. She could only make muffled sounds and could only hold onto Yuan Yan's clothes for support.
Yuan Yan was like a big tiger who was lucky enough to catch a little lamb. He immediately began to lick it up, wishing he could tear it apart and devour it.
However, the guards of the sheepfold appeared at this crucial moment.
"Ahem." The old servant beside the eldest prince appeared in the room like a ghost, lowered his head and coughed heavily twice, interrupting the two's somewhat excessive intimacy.
"ah……"
Like a little white rabbit caught red-handed, Yang Lingyi was startled and buried her head in Yuan Yan's arms in embarrassment. Yuan Yan gently stroked her back to comfort her.
Yuan Yan: "What are you doing?"
"Young master, it's time to check the accounts. The Crown Prince wants you to go to his side." The old servant didn't raise his eyes, pretending not to see anything, and urged the two to separate.
"Sister Yan..." Yang Lingyi tugged at Yuan Yan's sleeve, reluctant to let go.
Yuan Yan knew that this was the eldest prince's special order to remind her and the other woman not to cross the line, lest she make a mistake due to a momentary lapse in control.
Even though he was reluctant to part with Yang Lingyi, Yuan Yan could only compose himself and gently release Yang Lingyi's hand.
"My dear, listen to your father and go now. I will come to see you again tomorrow." Yuan Yan affectionately touched Yang Lingyi's still flushed cheeks and saw him off from the courtyard.
...
Yuan Yan had a well-thought-out plan. He intended to spend the days before marrying Yi'er back to the palace with him, after finishing his official duties.
Unexpectedly, when he came to find Yang Lingyi the next day, he was turned away at the Changhuangnan Mansion.
“Your Highness, the eldest prince has said that fiancés and their spouses cannot see each other before the wedding, otherwise it will be bad for the marriage and have an unfavorable meaning…” The eldest prince’s personal attendant came to block the door and deliver the message.
[Haha, host, look what happened! You went too far yesterday, kissing Yang Lingyi like that in her room and getting caught red-handed. Now even her father won't let you in.]
The system, witnessing this, was quite gloating.
Yuan Yan's temple twitched; he really wanted to rip the system out of his head and throw it away.
Perhaps it was because her aura was too oppressive that the attendant could not withstand it and quickly finished the second half of the eldest prince's sentence.
“However, the master said that if His Highness has something to say to the young master, he can send a letter to the eldest prince’s residence. Once the young master has finished his business for the day, he will give the letter to him and allow the young master to reply to His Highness,” the attendant said.
"Write a letter?" Yuan Yan couldn't help but grind his teeth.
It would be incredibly difficult to get an animal that has tasted meat to suddenly abstain from meat and become a vegetarian.
The thought of spending the next few months only able to look at Yang Lingyi through letters made the days seem exceptionally long.
[There's nothing I can do, host. Who told you to steal away someone's only precious son! The Crown Prince is probably quite heartbroken... Anyway, there are only a few months left, so just bear with it.]
The system rarely saw Yuan Yan suffer a setback, and it said with a smile.
Yuan Yan was unable to see Yang Lingyi and returned early.
This unexpected turn of events caused Chen Lianzhou, who had been waiting for her at the Prince's residence, to feel a surge of joy.
First, he served her a meal in a gentle and soft voice, and then told Yuan Yan about his recent business dealings.
Under Shen Lianzhou's management, the silk shop's business flourished, gradually establishing itself in the capital.
Furthermore, because Yuan Yan was dressed in Shen's silk robes, looking dashing and elegant in his red attire, he rode his horse through the streets for several days, indirectly promoting the shop.
This led to many noble ladies in the capital wanting to follow suit and order clothes similar to those worn by His Highness Prince Qin.
Having anticipated this, Shen Lianzhou had prepared the goods in advance and collaborated with clothing shops to promote other fabrics in the shops, thus establishing the reputation of Shen's silk in the capital and attracting a group of customers.
In just a few days, they reaped a large sum of silver, recovering all the initial investment and even making a small profit.
"Lianzhou is truly a rare talent in business." Yuan Yan listened with admiration in his eyes and praised Shen Lianzhou generously.
"Your Highness flatters me. Without my wife's help, Lianzhou alone certainly could not have achieved this result."
Shen Lianzhou knew that without His Highness, the shop could not have quickly established itself in the capital. When tallying the shop's profits, he took out a large portion of them and deposited them into the Prince's treasury.
"Lianzhou, feel free to do as you please. If you need anything, just go to the storeroom and take it directly." Yuan Yan delegated authority to him.
...
In order to avoid Yuan Jing's sharp edge, Yuan Yan has reduced his activities in the court these days.
During this brief period of hibernation for Yuan Yan...
Yuan Jing was appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and his confidence soared. He made a name for himself in the court. His decrees were implemented quickly, and everything seemed to be thriving.
However, not long after, several military officers came to Yuan Yan's door to request an audience.
These people had a good relationship with the original owner of this body and Yuan Yan. Yuan Yan had even drunk wine with them before.
"Your Highness, we are truly at our wits' end and beg Your Highness to seek justice for my sisters."
Upon seeing Yuan Yan, Commandant Qiu said with a bitter face.
"What happened?" Yuan Yan sat down in the main seat. Seeing the group's demeanor, he already had some guesses in his mind.
Lieutenant Qiu thought that Ma Meng had been promoted from Zhonglang General to Chief of the Military Equipment Bureau.
Ma Meng was the official who had argued with Lu Gui in court a few days ago about the matter of establishing a crown princess.
[Host, isn't a promotion a good thing? Why are they coming to you with such worried expressions?] The system was somewhat puzzled.
"Promotion depends on what kind of official position one is promoted to. Some official positions may seem to have a higher rank, but in reality, they have no real power."
"Ma Meng has been reassigned from his position as the Zhonglang General in charge of the garrison to oversee the weapons. He has undoubtedly been marginalized... Yuan Jing has played a trick on me, promoting him in name only but demoting him in reality."
Yuan Yan saw through the essence of the matter at a glance.
Ma Meng suffered this fate because he spoke up for Yuan Yan during the court meeting to establish the crown princess. Also, because he had been too close to Yuan Yan, Yuan Jing had labeled him a member of the Qin King's faction.
Therefore, as soon as he came to power, Yuan Jing secretly retaliated against him.
"What should we do then, host? If King Qi does this, isn't he just making an example of someone to deter others, so that those ministers who are loyal to you will not dare to act again... If this continues, your power will probably be in danger again."
The system became anxious immediately upon hearing that the matter involved a mission.
“Don’t panic. Right now, the Empress is still keeping things under control, so Yuan Jing won’t dare to go too far. If she can transfer Ma Meng away through a normal promotion order, then I can also find a way to transfer Ma Meng back.” Yuan Yan pondered.
Several female warriors were complaining on Ma Meng's behalf.
But Ma Meng shook his head, knowing that Yuan Yan was also in a bad situation. "Don't make things difficult for Your Highness. I, Ma Meng, will take responsibility for my actions. Since I have offended some petty people, I will accept it."
"Actually, if you look at it another way, the Ordnance Bureau isn't bad either. At least it can manage ordnance and do its part for the women in the army," Ma Meng said, trying to comfort others.
That being said, everyone present knew that it would be difficult for him to get ahead again after being transferred to the Ordnance Bureau.
“There may still be room for maneuver in this matter, so let’s not say anything discouraging,” Yuan Yan said.
After seeing off the other generals, she kept Ma Meng behind. She discussed matters with Ma Meng for a while before finally sending him away.
The system asked: "Host, what do you plan to do?"
“I’ve thought it through… Whether this matter can be resolved in the end depends on the Empress Dowager’s decision,” Yuan Yan said.
...
A few days later, in the imperial court.
An official from the Ministry of War submitted a memorial stating that bandits from Liang State had been frequently harassing the borders and were becoming increasingly rampant, and that more experienced generals should be dispatched to suppress them.
Among the names reported was Ma Meng.
Yuan Hao remained silent upon hearing the name of the recommended military officer.
However, the Ministry of War official said that Ma Meng had been on the battlefield for a long time and was familiar with border affairs. If she were to take charge, she might be able to wipe out the bandits and protect the border.
After careful consideration, Yuan Hao appointed Ma Meng as the acting military governor of Shuofang and ordered him to go to the frontier to take up his post.
"Your Majesty, I humbly thank you for your grace. I will certainly wipe out the bandits and pacify the borders to repay Your Majesty's kindness in promoting me," Ma Meng declared resolutely.
The system breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this: [Thank goodness, the Queen Mother didn't object. The host's control over the system has been preserved, and has even slightly increased.]
Yuan Yan remained unmoved, acting as if he had nothing to do with the matter.
Upon hearing this result, Yuan Jing's expression changed slightly. He looked at Yuan Yan, but only received a dismissive glance from her, which only made him more annoyed.
It wasn't until he returned to the palace after court that Yuan Jing finally vented his dissatisfaction.
"It's the second son again... I've already transferred Ma Meng to the Armory, yet she still managed to get him out. It's truly hateful."
Yuan Jing's face showed displeasure. He felt that Yuan Yan was unpredictable and could come up with all sorts of methods, making her extremely difficult to deal with. Furthermore, some ignorant court officials were also helping her oppose him.
If she can't even discipline a military officer now, what kind of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat is she?
“Your Highness, please calm down. You have just been appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and this is the time for you to make some achievements. The greater good is at stake. If you act too obviously, I'm afraid it will disappoint His Majesty,” an official from the Prince’s residence advised.
Upon hearing about the grand undertaking, Yuan Jing calmed down and began discussing other political matters with his subordinates.
*
Meanwhile, Yuan Yan received information obtained by Zhuiying.
"Does the Lu family want to send a son to Yuan Jing as a concubine?" Yuan Yan laughed upon hearing this.
Zhuiying couldn't understand why His Highness was laughing. The Lu family was completely bound to Prince Qi, and explaining this to His Highness was clearly not a good thing, so she didn't understand why His Highness could still laugh.
"I already know what kind of person Lu Yingkan is. Opportunism and currying favor with the powerful are indeed things she would do. There's no need to worry about it." Yuan Yan wasn't angry at all, his expression remained unchanged.
"But it's just right. I was just thinking about how to cause some trouble for my elder sister, and Lady Lu has delivered herself to my doorstep."
"Go and find a way to leak this matter to that young master Xu... so that my elder sister won't be too idle and spend all her time thinking about how to deal with me."
Yuan Yan's lips curled up slightly, but the words he uttered surprised Zhui Ying.
Young Master Xu…that Young Master Xu who secretly met with Prince Qi on several occasions? What does this have to do with Young Master Xu? She felt slightly bewildered, completely failing to understand her master's intentions.
But as a bodyguard, one must obey the master's orders, regardless of the master's intentions.
Upon receiving the order, Zhuiying immediately sprang into action, quietly relaying the message to the Xu residence.
...
At this time, it was less than a month before Yuan Jing's wedding.
Because the woman she married, Lady Liu, was plain-looking, dignified and rigid, and Yuan Jing found her uninteresting, she did not like to rest in Lady Liu's courtyard and often neglected her.
Xu Qinghan was certain that she still had a chance and was unwilling to give up the opportunity with Prince Qi, which is why she continued to meet with him secretly after Yuan Jing got married, despite the risks.
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