The eldest daughter's scheming, the crown prince's exclusive favor to the venomous concubi

Yet, it was so unbearable. He tried to lower the rising fever in his body and said to Jian Yue in as calm a tone as possible, "Yueyue, move aside first. We should go home. I'll take you home."

"go home?"

Jian Yue frowned, and after a long while said, "Who are you? Do you know where I live?"

Her red lips opened and closed, making Bai Jianan's mouth go dry. He licked his dry lips and said, "Yes, I am your husband, so of course I know where our home is."

Hua Xiangrong wanted to spit it out again.

"The leader of the Qilin Pavilion is a fraud? Your level of expertise is rather low."

Bai Jianan ignored Hua Xiangrong and continued to speak softly to Jian Yue, "Yueyue, would you please get up? You'll feel uncomfortable like this."

Jian Yue's position was indeed uncomfortable, but she stubbornly refused to move, still half-lying on Bai Jianan's body, looking left and right, and said suspiciously, "Husband? But I remember I'm not married, how can I have a husband? No, no, you're lying."

Upon hearing this, Bai Jianan continued to fabricate: "What's wrong with that? You're mistaken. We're in love, so naturally we're already married. If you think we're not married yet, then we can have another wedding ceremony."

Jian Yue shook her head, unsure. She swayed as she got up, and Bai Jianan breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Jian Yue believed him. But the next moment, Jian Yue suddenly pounced on him and bit his lip.

Hua Xiangrong stared wide-eyed at her own Meizi's fierce appearance, unable to suppress her laughter while feeling deeply conflicted.

This is the head of the Qilin Pavilion! My little Yueyue, I admire you so much.

As things escalated, Bai Jianan really didn't want Hua Xiangrong to continue watching. Even if he had a thick skin, he still had to see this woman after Jianyue sobered up, so he had to maintain some dignity for his beloved.

Thinking it over, he grabbed Jian Yue without hesitation, raised his hand, made another hole in the roof, and jumped away.

Hua Xiangrong was stunned for a moment, then shouted angrily, "Damn it! So what if Qilin Pavilion is so powerful? Qilin Pavilion has to pay compensation for damaging other people's private property. Just you wait, I'll calculate the cost of this roof and go to Qilin Pavilion to collect the debt."

"Tomorrow, Qilin Pavilion will definitely deliver all the required funds, so please be patient, Master Hua."

Hua Xiangrong narrowed her eyes, turned to look at the open door, and couldn't help but cross her arms and sneer: "Oh! When did Lan Yue Lou become Qi Lin Ge's territory? One leaves and another comes, what? You think stealing my plums isn't enough, now you want to steal my plums too?"

Upon hearing this, Fanxing felt a slight flush on her face, but she remained calm and lowered her eyes, saying, "I am Fanxing, the head of the Sanchun Hall of the Qilin Pavilion. Today, the Pavilion Master is welcoming the Pavilion Master's wife. There is absolutely no intention to offend Lanyue Tower."

Hua Xiangrong was taken aback, then sneered: "Pavilion Master's wife? That sounds nice, but there was no matchmaker's introduction, no parental consent, and this is a forced marriage. What makes you think you're a Pavilion Master's wife? You stole my sister and you still think you're right?"

The Princess's residence was also very lively that night. The playboy prince suddenly wanted to propose marriage. Although the things had been prepared in advance, it still caught everyone off guard. Murong Yan even had the urge to tear her son apart. Unfortunately, the person in charge left after finishing his business, claiming that he was preparing for tomorrow's actions.

The Grand Princess was so angry she gritted her teeth. When Yan Xingzhi arrived, he happened to see the Grand Princess clenching her handkerchief tightly, her eyes filled with malice as she plotted something.

Yan Xingzhi was so frightened that he suddenly shuddered. He realized that if he didn't leave now, he might not be able to leave later. He decided it was safer not to pat the tiger's butt while it was angry. So, after taking a sneaky look, he quietly left.

At midnight, Yan Xingzhi was sound asleep when he felt a chilling wind around him. He suddenly got up, brandishing his sword, and saw his mistress sitting on a chair in front of his bed, drinking wine by herself with a calm expression, her expression unreadable, whether she was happy or angry.

Yan Xingzhi was startled, then relaxed his strength and said plaintively, "I say, Lord Pavilion Master, it's the middle of the night, time for sleeping. Even if you're busy with official duties, you can't just barge into a private residence! People who don't know better might think there's something going on between you and me."

Bai Jianan didn't speak, but he glanced at Yan Xingzhi sideways, a glance that made Yan Xingzhi shudder.

"Is the matter I asked you to handle settled?"

Yan Xing was taken aback, then nodded and said, "It's almost done. In three more days, it will be fully prepared."

Bai Jianan nodded and said, "Tonight, let's explore Qiu's wine cellar again."

Yan Xingzhi frowned and sat cross-legged: "Investigate again? What do you mean?"

Bai Jianan put down his wine glass, a cold smile playing on his lips. "If Qiu Zhenzhou wanted to hide someone, he would definitely put them in a place that no one would expect. But although the wine cellar is heavily guarded, I didn't find any traps. Don't you find that strange?"

Yan Xingzhi disagreed, saying, "Young Master, what are you trying to do? Do you know what this action means? The Qiu family's foundation is not just the Qiu family itself. The Sun family, and even the Crown Prince's side, are causing endless trouble."

"I already have plenty of trouble, and now I've stolen the Crimson Coral. Even without this, wouldn't I still be embroiled in trouble? This was just a casual act. In short, I can't let my Crown Princess be sad, can I?"

Yan Xingzhi raised an eyebrow: "It seems I was right, you are indeed tempted, but as I said, you can't lose sight of the bigger picture for a small gain."

Bai Jianan's gaze was deep, and the sorrow in Jian Yue's eyes just now floated before her eyes. She was worried about her mother and endured unbearable pain in the Qiu family. She seemed strong, but her heart was probably already riddled with holes!

Seeing Jian Yue like this, he felt a pang of pain in his heart, wishing he could shelter her under his wings and never let her suffer again.

"As I have said, my princess consort should stand proudly in front of others and enjoy the prestige that she deserves. How can we let the Qiu family threaten her?"

Yan Xingzhi was taken aback, then suddenly laughed and said, "Indeed, you're willing to risk everything for a woman. But doesn't Your Highness know that with this action, all our plans will become ineffective? Wouldn't that mean all our previous efforts have been in vain?"

"It's alright, it's just a few heads that are pointing upwards."

Nothing compares to the person in front of him. He didn't want to see Jian Yue sad in the slightest. He hoped that her vulnerability would vanish from this moment on.

Yan Xingzhi frowned deeply: "Don't act impulsively, you..."

"I must say more," Bai Jianan suddenly stood up, his cold gaze fixed on Yan Xingzhi. After a long while, he said, "Jia Banwen once said that I am destined to face a calamity. That is why I stand before the world in this position. If I want to regain that position, I will have to pay a much higher price than others."

"I've always been arrogant and conceited, and I've never thought there would be anything in this life worth pursuing. Even though that position coveted by countless people is within my grasp, how many people know that I don't care whether I can actually sit on it?"

He looked at Yan Xingzhi with a serious expression, much simpler than his usual playful and sinister demeanor, yet also much more earnest.

Yan Xingzhi suddenly realized that he had never truly understood the master he had followed for over a decade.

Bai Jianan sighed, "Xingzhi, do you still remember what you asked me when we were children?"

Yan Xingzhi nodded: "I remember when we first met, my father asked me to be your study companion. At that time, I was arrogant and unrestrained, and I asked you: which way should the world go; what is the best way to govern a country; how to win over virtuous people; and if you had to choose between power and beauty, what would you choose?"

Bai Jianan smiled and said, "Then, do you remember how I answered?"

Yan Xingzhi's silence, he remembered.

At that time, he was twelve years old and had already passed the imperial examination at the county level. He was preparing to go to the capital to take the imperial examination when his father suddenly took him away.

At that time, Bai Jianan was only eight years old. When asked the question, he showed no surprise and answered without hesitation, saying the words that he would never forget.

He said, “What do the affairs of the world have to do with me? What do the movements of the court have to do with me? I am but a grain of sand, insignificant before this vast land. Why should I trouble myself with things that do not belong to me?”

As for the power and beauty, they're nothing special. My mother always said, "The deeper the love, the stronger the affection; if you haven't experienced it yourself, you have no right to talk about it." So, this pointless, self-inflicted trouble is utter nonsense.

Yan Xingzhi was deeply shocked. These words shattered his understanding of what he had learned, making his self-proclaimed patriotism seem like a grain of sand, so insignificant that he couldn't even see it.

He glanced at Bai Jianan and said, "But the situation is different now. Your identity is not simple, and you have been planning for a long time. This roundabout way is extremely disadvantageous to us."

Bai Jianan suddenly smiled, his eyes overflowing with a different kind of charm. He said, "Xingzhi, back then, you asked me how to choose between power and beauty. I once said that if you haven't met them, you have no right to talk about it."

But now, I think I know the answer. Xingzhi, sometimes what my mother said really makes sense—such deep and profound love! If you hadn't experienced it, how could you understand the feeling of heartache?

In that instant of heartache, he knew he was doomed. Although he had considered cutting off this troublesome layer, could he really bring himself to do it?

If he couldn't bring himself to do it, it would have ended the very first time they met. Why go through all that trouble afterward? Besides, he was the one who started it all. Since he couldn't bring himself to do it, why not just hold on tight and cherish it? Love it, pamper it, and love it.

Seeing Bai Jianan's ever-changing gaze, from tenderness to darkness, he suddenly understood Bai Jianan's conviction that no one could change.