"Lan Xiuyuan! Get out here right now! Who are you trying to impress with your mystical act?"
Lan Linxue was instantly enraged. She walked over and kicked the person holding Qin Kou'er away with one kick each, then pulled Qin Kou'er up and dragged her behind her.
A deep, captivating laugh came from inside the carriage. The curtain opened, and a tall, elegant man stepped out.
The bright sunlight, shining upon him, instantly dimmed his brilliance. A smile played on his lips, as gentle as the midnight breeze; the breadth of his brows held a hint of sensuality and allure, like the most intimate lover, capable of accepting all your indulgences and little secrets; his gaze, however, was like moonlight, softly caressing you amidst blooming peach blossoms. He was the dream of every woman in the world, a flawless gem. He simply stood there, effortlessly gathering all the essence of heaven and earth upon himself.
He was Lan Xiuyuan, fearless and graceful as he walked towards Lan Linxue.
Looking at Lan Xiuyuan, Qin Kou'er had to admit from the bottom of her heart: compared to Lan Linxue's eerie and bewitching beauty, Lan Xiuyuan was indeed more like a monarch.
Lan Linxue hated Lan Xiuyuan's appearance from the bottom of his heart, and even more so the lecherous smile on his lips. From childhood to adulthood, he didn't know how many times he had suffered because of that smile! If it weren't for his old man's stubbornness, he would have lost his head countless times, let alone his position as crown prince.
So, from the moment he grew up, Lan Linxue vowed that one day he would make Lan Xiuyuan's smile a thing of the past, and he had plenty of ways to make him unable to even cry.
After instinctively shielding Qin Kou'er behind her, Lan Linxue reverted to her cold and alluring demeanor.
Staring intently at Lan Xiuyuan as he slowly approached, Lan Linxue didn't even bother with a perfunctory polite remark. Pointing at Lan Xiuyuan, she snorted coldly and said, "Fifth Master, you're really putting on airs! You actually dare to give orders to the Crown Prince from inside your carriage. Lan Xiuyuan, I ask you, who gave you the audacity to arrest my people? Has the world changed hands? But even if it has, it's not your place, the son of a second-rank concubine, to act like a bully."
Lan Xiuyuan walked up to Lan Linxue, unmoved by his sarcastic and sharp words, and instead smiled even more considerately and politely.
With one knee slightly bent, Lan Xiuyuan bowed his head in greeting, "Your subject greets Your Majesty! Your Majesty must be tired from your journey!"
Having said that, he stood up, his gaze still gentle and calm as he looked at Lan Linxue. "Brother, you've had a long journey. Your carriage is already waiting outside the town. Why don't you come back to Yangzhou with me? Father's decree has been issued!"
Lan Linxue gave a cold laugh, her gaze turning sharp and sinister. "Lan Xiuyuan! Do you really have to trip me up the moment you see me?"
Lan Xiuyuan was slightly taken aback, seemingly not understanding at all, but the smile on his lips remained, "I wonder what Your Majesty means?"
Lan Linxue's gaze turned even colder as she sneered, "You address me as Imperial Brother instead of Crown Prince, which means we're only discussing family matters now, not court politics. Family matters don't distinguish between right and wrong! You want to arrest Qin Kou'er, but you're afraid I'll turn against you. Are you trying to give me face now?"
Lan Xiuyuan was somewhat surprised, but nodded with great admiration, "No one is more wise than Your Majesty! I am truly showing off my limited skills in front of you!"
Lan Linxue remained unfazed and continued, "You won't answer my questions, but instead use the Emperor's decree to pressure me. It seems you have the imperial decree in your hands, and Yangzhou is about to become your prey. You have no choice but to take action against Qin Kou'er?"
Lan Xiuyuan admired, and even resented, Lan Linxue's keen insight. When it came to intelligence, if Lan Linxue wasn't the best in the world, no one would dare challenge him. Unfortunately, he was too clever, too clever to understand the meaning of concealing one's abilities or knowing when to stop.
Lan Xiuyuan's smile became even more charming. "Brother, you are overthinking this. Lord Shi's case has already reached the ears of the Emperor. I am investigating the case under imperial decree, and I have no choice but to do so. As for Miss Qin, she is merely a victim of the situation and is being questioned routinely!"
"Hmph! Routine questioning requires escort, even being put in a cage? Lan Xiuyuan, you'd better keep your cleverness to yourself. Even if you have an imperial edict, I'll say it here today: As long as I'm here, no one will touch Qin Kou'er!"
As she spoke, Lan Linxue raised her head slightly, staring arrogantly at Lan Xiuyuan, while her hand gripped Qin Kou'er even tighter.
Lan Xiuyuan smiled dismissively, "Brother, you understand Father's good intentions better than anyone! For others, having one more or one less person by their side is insignificant. But the Crown Prince's side is absolutely crucial! Even though Miss Qin is innocent, she's always implicated in Lord Shi's affairs. Having me investigate carefully is meant to ease your worries, Brother! While your protection of Miss Qin may seem harmonious to us, others might perceive it as favoritism. One must always consider public opinion..."
"What you're saying sounds so awkward to me! What do you mean by 'protecting'?"
Lan Linxue stared at Lan Xiuyuan, her gaze instantly turning into sharp blades. "You're convinced that Qin Kou'er is definitely involved with Shi Mengjian, aren't you? You think you can follow the trail and maybe even steal someone's head as an unexpected bonus. But don't forget why Shi Mengjian lost his head, and whose things he had!"
Lan Xiuyuan's gaze met Lan Linxue's for a split second, sharp as a knife, but he quickly concealed it, still maintaining his elegant demeanor as he said, "It seems that Your Majesty knows quite a lot about this matter. Perhaps you could offer me some guidance!"
Lan Linxue curled her lip in mockery. "Fifth Brother, there's a saying: 'The emperor is far away, so the heavens are high!' Since you have the imperial decree, neither of us needs to make things difficult for the other. You can lock Qin Kou'er up, but she must be kept in my courtyard. Anyone who tries to cause trouble for Qin Tiange is going against me. If I'm in a bad mood, I might just throw out a few of those lousy ledgers and gossipy bastards! And if they bite someone and get themselves into trouble, don't blame me for not giving them any advance notice!"
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