The peerless and dark princess

Chen Yan awoke from his memories and sneered. "I was right. My father had favored you, the chosen one, while I was a lowly prince who didn't even care for the women I loved. Even if it was a conspiracy, it would still have crushed you, the chosen one. Now you must obey the imperial decree and return to the capital to protect this great country." Chen Yu, Chen Yu, I schemed and calculated to gain the throne, while you acted honestly, but what did you gain? Nothing. The woman you love married someone else and had children...

In Minzhou, at the Prince of Yue's residence, Chen Yu looked at a painting in the study—a young Chu Wanran. Beside the painting lay a delicate sword, a jade hairpin, and a golden hairpin. This arrangement was a bit strange, but everyone in the palace was used to it. While everything else in the study could be moved, only this one item could be touched by the prince himself.

"Father, are those still watching?"

"They are all right under our noses, so there is no need to be so cautious."

"Father, aren't you afraid that this is someone sent by the Emperor to spy on us?"

"We've made Minzhou like an iron barrel, and we're still afraid that the emperor will send people to us. These people look like they're just starting out. I don't know who sent them."

"However, I heard from the people that they seem to be trying to find out about your past with the daughter of the Prince of Yan's Mansion..."

Chen Siran's words swept away all the thoughts in Chen Yu's mind, leaving only the words "Yan Wangfu's legitimate daughter." Chen Siran might not understand who the "Yan Wangfu's legitimate daughter" was referring to, and this was a past that Chen Yu could not mention. Not going back for so many years and not asking about her was not enough to face her, and even felt guilty towards her.

"Are you sure those people are trying to find out about the past of the eldest daughter of Prince Yan's Mansion? Is it Chu Wanran from Prince Yan's Mansion?"

Chen Siran was frightened by his father, King Chen Yu. He didn't expect that his father was so affected. He had said before that his father didn't say anything when he let those people into Minzhou City, so he told him these little things. Anyway, his father, King Minzhou, had handed over the miscellaneous affairs to him early on, and he was used to discussing with him, just like when he was a child.

"Father, Father, it seems that the name you are talking about is Chu, Chu Wanran."

Chen Yu's face turned pale in an instant, as if he was hiding his sudden emotion, which made Chen Siran beside him very worried.

Chen Siran thought again: Who was this 'Chu Wanran' these people were talking about? It seemed like he had never heard of this person before, but this woman had caused his father's face to change drastically. Was this the woman his father admired? Uncle Yan had said that his father had a woman he loved but couldn't have...

After a long time, so long that Chen Siran thought his father would ignore him, he suddenly said, "Aran, find those people. I have something to ask them."

Chen Siran had never seen his father like this since he could remember. It was as if he was lost in some memories, a place that he, as a son, had never been to, just like that corner in the study that no one was allowed to touch.

-

"Uncle Yan, I want to ask you something."

Chen Siran asked his subordinates to find the people in Minzhou City and bring them back to the palace, and then he quietly pulled his uncle Yan aside. The way he behaved in the palace was just like when he provoked Chen Yu when he was a child, which made people laugh.

"What's the matter? Did you offend Brother Yu?"

"Uncle Yan, it's not me who caused this, I swear." Chen Siran was almost ready to swear to the sky. Uncle Yan was the only one who was accompanying his father here. As for this woman Chu Wanran, Uncle Yan was probably the only one who knew what was going on.

"Then ask what it is."

Yan Li did not expect that his nephew Chen Siran would ask about this. He simply thought that the old men under this kid were getting too arrogant and made it difficult for him to do his job, so he asked about the past of those old men. He never thought that he was asking about Chen Yu's past or his past with Chu Wanran.

"Haven't there been a few strangers coming into the city recently?"

"Huh? They're just a few kids who are a little younger than you. So what?"

Yan Li didn't understand what those kids could find out. Even if they were sent by Emperor Chen Yan, they couldn't find out anything. If the prince hadn't been upright and didn't want to sit on the throne, who knows what would happen to him now.

"Those people are trying to find out about the past between my father and the daughter of Prince Yan. I think her name is Chu Wanran. Uncle Yan, do you know her?"

After asking, Chen Siran waited for Yan Li to tell him what the connection was between Chu Wanran from Prince Yan's Mansion and his father. However, he didn't hear Yan Li's response for a long time. Looking up at the face that looked like his father's, Chen Siran couldn't help but become curious. Is the painting in the study of this Chu Wanran?

"Did your father know about those people who were trying to find out about their past?"

"Yes, I just told my father. He asked me to bring those people back to the palace. He wants to see them and ask them something."

Yan Li thought that Chen Siran had not met Chen Yu yet, so he wanted to deal with these children in advance and prevent them from exploring their past. Since the prince has been away from the capital for so many years, there should be no connection between them. Although the prince was sorry for Chu Wanran, it has passed and should not be mentioned again.

"Well, since you've met Brother Yu, he'll definitely meet those kids. Well, never mind, it's God's will. I, your uncle Yan, will tell you about Brother Yu and that Chu Wanran. Let's find a place to talk slowly. We can't just stand here."

Yan Li glanced at it, and the two of them stood in the corridor. If they said this, wouldn't even the servants hear it? Although the people who followed Chen Yu at the beginning knew more or less about this matter, it involved some obscure things, so he knew a little more about it, but only a little more.

"Of course not. My nephew has prepared some Bamboo Leaf Green wine. Come to my room and tell me slowly."

-

"Back then, your father, together with the current emperor, Chen Yan, and other young masters from aristocratic families... Chu Wanran was the only sister of the Chu Lianyao and Chu Lianyue brothers. Naturally, she doted on them in every way, but she had a gentle personality."

Chen Siran listened to this passage and thought it was nothing more than the daily life of an ordinary young man from an aristocratic family, making friends with similar interests, just like he did with Tan Xiao. The difference was that his father was a prince and had more status restrictions, but since they were both powerful people in the capital, it was nothing.

"Later, the border town was repeatedly invaded by the enemy. Brother Yu volunteered to lead the troops and inflicted heavy losses on them. Many court officials... At that time, Brother Yu met Chu Wanran. The two hit it off and fell in love with each other. However, as a prince, Brother Yu still needed the late emperor's support even if he wanted to get married..."