Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhen raised an eyebrow slightly: "How do you know?"

“I grew up with you since childhood. Apart from my elder brother, I am the person who understands you the most,” Xiahou Chuan said confidently. “I know what you like to eat and what you like. With me, you can be yourself without feeling wronged or restrained. I will give you the greatest freedom.”

Yan Zhen's eyes turned playful: "What if I said that my first child should have the surname Xiao?"

Xiahou Chuan was stunned and stammered, "This... a woman follows her husband after marriage, so how can a child take the mother's surname?"

Yan Zhen scoffed lightly and turned to leave.

Xiahou Chuan panicked upon seeing this and quickly said, "Aheng, don't joke around. Even if I agree, the court officials won't."

Yan Zhen didn't turn his head, but simply waved his hand: "The night is cold and the wind is strong, Your Highness should go back early."

Xiahou Chuan: "..."

He watched Yan Zhen's figure disappear into the distance, his eyes filled with resentment, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

The attendant behind him stepped forward and whispered, "Second Prince, isn't the princess clearly making things difficult for you? Since ancient times, there has never been a reason for a prince to take his mother's surname."

Xiahou Chuan's eyes surged with malice, completely unlike the warm and cheerful demeanor he displayed in front of Yan Zhen: "She's just putting on airs because of her status. There are plenty of ways to make a young lady from a respectable family submit!"

After he finished speaking, he turned around and left.

The palace was some distance from Xiahou Chuan's princely residence. A servant brought a carriage, knelt on the ground, and Xiahou Chuan stepped onto his back to get into the carriage.

The carriage traveled through the night, and after a distance, an arrow shot out sharply from the front, hitting the horse's foreleg.

Startled and in pain, the horse let out a mournful neigh and galloped wildly into the night.

Xiahou Chuan was jostled about in the carriage, bumping his head and bleeding profusely.

He clung desperately to the car wall, screaming in terror, "Help! Help! Someone help!!!"

In the darkness, a black figure stood high on the roof, almost blending into the night.

Holding a bow and arrow, he saw from afar that the carriage had overturned and the people inside were dead or alive. He snorted coldly, leaped off the roof, and disappeared into the night.

-

The next day, two pieces of news flew around the palace.

First, Emperor Jin was seriously ill and vomited blood incessantly, so he urgently summoned the imperial physician to the palace in the early morning.

Secondly, the second prince was attacked, his carriage overturned, and he injured his arm.

The two pieces of news, mixed together, caused widespread panic in the palace.

Everyone knew that the capital city was about to undergo a major change.

Yan Zhen returned from the Agricultural and Sericultural Department and passed under the eaves of Yihua Palace. Two palace maids who were sweeping were whispering to each other about the Second Prince's attack. She overheard them and coughed lightly.

The palace servant looked up and immediately knelt down to pay his respects: "Greetings, Princess."

"If you say these things in Yihua Palace, I'll take it as you having nothing better to do. But if you go outside and spread rumors, and people hear it, even I can't protect you." Yan Zhen's tone was calm, but his words carried a strong warning. "The palace hates gossipy people the most."

The two palace maids' expressions changed slightly, and they quickly kowtowed, saying, "We know we were wrong, Princess, please forgive us."

"It won't happen again."

Upon entering the inner hall, Yan Zhen summoned Lü Zhu and inquired about the specifics of Xiahou Chuan's attack.

Upon learning that Xiahou Chuan had been attacked the previous night, not long after they had parted ways, Yan Zhen frowned deeply.

For some reason, she thought of Xiahou Che and instinctively felt that this matter was inextricably linked to him.

At this critical juncture, if any of the other princes were to make a move against Xiahou Chuan, they would surely kill him without hesitation.

It seems that Xiahou Che deliberately injured only Xiahou Chuan's arm, as if he did so to cause trouble and frame other princes.

This guy is not an easy person to deal with.

Since this matter was none of his business, Yan Zhen quickly put it out of his mind and took out a map of the Great Jin Dynasty to study.

At night, Yan Zhen turned off the lights and went to bed early.

She has been reading a lot of books by lamplight at night over the past few years, and her eyesight has been declining. Since there was no nearsightedness surgery available in ancient times, she has been taking extra care of her eyes this past year, going to sleep as soon as night falls.

After an unknown amount of time, Yan Zhen, half-asleep, heard a soft "thump" from outside.

Yan Zhen felt lightheaded and immediately woke up.

There were palace maids keeping watch outside the tent. Yan Zhen listened intently for a while, but he didn't hear any of the maids going out to check.

She sensed something was wrong, closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, quietly reaching under her pillow for the dagger, preparing to defend herself.

The next moment, the curtain was lifted, and the person who came made no attempt to conceal himself, immediately climbing onto the bed and pounced on her, embracing her and kissing her.

Yan Zhen: "..."

With such clumsy, virgin-like kissing skills, Yan Zhen knew who it was without even opening his eyes.

That forgetful bastard!

Yan Zhen was furious. He opened his eyes and raised his hand to push Xiahou Che away.

But as soon as she made a move, Xiahou Che grabbed her hands and pressed them above her head. With his other hand, he went further and lifted the blanket, eagerly and haphazardly crawling under her undergarments.

Yan Zhen: "..."

Unable to fight back or break free, she could only desperately turn her head away from him, warning in a low voice, "Xiahou Che, do you want to die! Get off me!"

Xiahou Che's breathing was heavy, and his gaze towards her was filled with intense aggression: "I won't!"

"I'll say it again, get out!"

"No!"

Yan Zhen's face darkened: "You really think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"

"You won't kill me," Xiahou Che said firmly. "I was chosen by you from the very beginning, how could you bear to kill me!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Yan Zhen kicked him in the groin.

Xiahou Che dodged to the side, and Yan Zhen took advantage of the opening to draw a dagger and plunge it into his shoulder.

With a soft "thud," the blade pierced flesh, and the dagger went through Xiahou Che's shoulder blade, instantly filling the air with the stench of blood.

Xiahou Che was taken aback.

He glanced at the dagger on his shoulder, then stared blankly at Yan Zhen: "You..."

Yan Zhen kicked him away, rolled over and retreated to the corner of the bed, coldly saying, "You think too highly of yourself. Even if you, Xiahou Che, are gone, there's still Xiahou Chuan, Xiahou Xiao, and Xiahou An. If I want, which one of them can't be at my beck and call? What are you anyway!"

Xiahou Che's face turned pale instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief: "In your eyes, am I the same as them?"

"if not?"

Xiahou Che pursed his lips and said aggrievedly, "But my child with you can have the surname Xiao."

Yan Zhen was stunned, realizing that Xiahou Che had overheard what Xiahou Chuan had told her last night.

It was indeed him who attacked Xiahou Chuan last night.

"Not just the first child, but all children can take their mother's surname if you want... Can they?"

"I'm more obedient than them; I only listen to you. Can they do that?"

"I'll do whatever you tell me to do, and I'll fight for whatever you want. Can they do that too?"

"They can't!" Xiahou Che's eyes reddened. "Xiao Lingyi, you can't lump me in with them!"