Poisonous Goddess: I'm just lazing around in the mortal realm.

Three days later at the Second Prince's residence

Duan Yumou paced back and forth in his study, restless and anxious.

At this moment, right in front of him at the table was Helian Nash, who was supposed to marry the Fourth Princess of Nanyang.

Today, he was dressed in a low-key gray-blue long gown, and his strong physique somehow made the rough clothes look even more handsome.

When Duan Yumou sighed for the tenth time in front of Helian Nash, Helian Nash finally couldn't help but speak first.

"What are you sighing about? I've already done as you wished and am going to marry your half-sister. You should be happy, shouldn't you?"

"you……"

Duan Yumou couldn't help but roll his eyes. Even someone as skilled in planning as him had never expected that his good younger brother would scheme against him behind his back.

He glanced at the tightly closed study door, then walked to the desk and lowered his voice.

"Are you pretending to be ignorant? That kid has already impersonated you and had an affair with Duan Yuyan, and you're still here writing and drawing?"

He pointed to the unfinished landscape painting on the table.

With just a few strokes, the magnificent mountain range has been depicted on the paper.

Duan Yumou only glanced at it a few times, but he could already guess that the techniques of the calligraphy and painting were roughly discernible, and who Helian Nash's teacher was.

In the entire Nanyang region, only Pei Nanyue should know this technique.

Upon seeing the landscape painting, he couldn't help but purse his lips, his face filled with helplessness.

“Painting doesn’t interfere with discussing business with the Second Prince. I rushed back here all this way, not specifically to listen to the Second Prince complain, was I?”

Helian Nash didn't even raise his head; he had only just arrived in Beijing late last night.

His whereabouts were almost unknown to anyone.

Duan Yumou sighed deeply. Even though he had known this man for several years, he had never truly seen him clearly.

"You seem to be in a good mood, painting here. Haven't you considered that if that person actually intercepts Duan Yuyan on the way, how will you explain that to my father? How will you explain that to the entire Nanyang?"

He raised an eyebrow. If he hadn't been careful and hadn't planted a trusted confidant in the Fourth Princess's residence several years ago, he probably wouldn't have known that Duan Yuchuan would be so audacious when Duan Yuyan got married.

They actually hired someone to impersonate Helian Nash, the Khan of the Western Regions!

It could even be said that he had been having an affair with Duan Yuyan for a long time. If such a scandal were to spread, the An family's reputation would be completely ruined!

Can……

Duan Yuchuan is also a member of the An family!

This is the only point that Duan Yumou hasn't figured out.

"An explanation is necessary, of course. However, the Second Prince has never considered why the Third Prince would deliberately find someone to impersonate me and have an affair with the Fourth Princess?"

Herlian Nash appeared calm and composed, a stark contrast to the anxious and restless Duan Yumou.

"What do you mean? Does that mean my brother wants Duan Yuyan to fall in love with you?"

The Second Prince, Duan Yumou, clearly did not believe the answer he had given. He even crossed his arms and frowned to himself, seemingly oblivious to how obvious the answer to the question was.

"I had heard long before Helian entered the capital that the Fourth Princess was infatuated with Shen Mu, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. In addition, the Emperor of Nanyang doted on this princess. If the Fourth Princess really did not want to marry, she probably would not have to go to the Western Regions."

"Of course, Father has always doted on my younger sister. Even if she wanted the stars in the sky, Father would do everything he could to please her."

Duan Yumou naturally had to admit that his father's favoritism had reached its extreme.

Even his son, who was rarely in the capital, had heard of it from afar on the border.

However, he also clearly understood that his father's favoritism towards Duan Yuyan stemmed from the auspicious omens that had suddenly appeared in the palace that year.

How could an emperor who murdered his father and brothers possibly prioritize family ties?

Duan Yumou was well aware of this.

"That's the problem. Since the Emperor dotes on the Fourth Princess so much, if she's willing to marry into the Western Regions, which other princess of marriageable age from Nanyang would be willing to go to our Western Regions?"

Herlian Nash finally put down his brush and slowly raised his head to look at Duan Yumou.

He frowned slightly, clearly still somewhat dissatisfied with his hands, which hadn't been used for calligraphy or painting for many years.

After all, paper and pen were rare in the Western Regions, so he had abandoned this skill in the years since he left Nanyang.

"Behind the Fourth Princess..."

Duan Yumou frowned slightly. He vaguely remembered a blurry figure, but forgot who it was.

“Fifth Princess Duan Yuning, right? Second Prince.” Helian Nash was the first to speak. He had the good fortune to have met that unfavored princess once, so he had some memory of her.

"Yes, that's her. But her background isn't good. Her mother was a close maidservant of the late Empress, and her ascension to the throne was illegitimate, so Father Emperor has never thought of her."

Duan Yumou's life in the first half was quite tragic. If it weren't for that, he would never have kept that princess, who was even less favored than him, in his heart.

Although his own background was not good, he was fortunate enough to be favored by General Weiyuan, who took him to train on horseback for a few years. Fortunately, he has now made a name for himself.

“The Fifth Princess… is not part of the Third Prince’s plans. Rather than a Fifth Princess with no background, he would prefer that the Emperor’s most beloved princess be completely removed from Nanyang, this place of trouble.”

Hernández calmly and slowly put away the scroll in his hands.

"Away from Nanyang? Could it be that his plan is the same as mine?"

Duan Yumou narrowed his eyes dangerously. His cold expression naturally revealed that he and the Second Prince were secretly at odds.

These rumors circulating in Nanyang are not entirely unfounded.

"Helian certainly doesn't know about his plan. But since the Third Prince dares to scheme against even his own sister, I'm afraid his goal is also that position."

Hernández revealed the secret in a single sentence.

Duan Yumou couldn't help but gasp. He had actually thought about this before, but as for him, he had no relatives or friends in this world, so no matter what he did, he would always be all alone.

But Duan Yuchuan was different. The An family behind him was deeply rooted and powerful. His younger sister was the most favored Fourth Princess of Nanyang, and his mother, Consort An, was the most favored concubine in the palace, though she was only one step away from becoming the Empress.

However, in those times, the position of Empress was not much different from that of an imperial edict.

"..."

Duan Yumou licked his lips. Even someone as cunning as him had never imagined that Duan Yuchuan's plan would be so audacious.

Then he couldn't help but rub his hands together and said...

"Has he gone mad? Doesn't he know that this path could easily lead to the downfall of the entire An family? Although I don't like Duan Yuyan either, I've never dared to have any designs on her, have I?"

He admitted that he wasn't a good person.

But now, judging from this incident, he feels that Duan Yuchuan is the real scoundrel who will stop at nothing.

"So please rest assured, Second Prince, it seems that the Third Prince will definitely send the Fourth Princess to my Western Regions safely."