Mad Queen Leaves the Palace

Xiao Lan, in high spirits, led Ding Ding slowly out of the Dean's antique study. Her exquisite face was adorned with a radiant smile, like the warmest spring sunshine, unforgettable to all who saw it. Throughout the journey, the curve of Xiao Lan's lips remained unchanged; her overflowing joy was almost tangible.

Dingding, who was standing beside her, looked at her young mistress with curiosity, wondering to herself: What could possibly make the usually composed young lady so happy? Finally, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Dingding asked, "Miss, why are you so happy today? Did you find something special in the headmaster's study or meet someone interesting?"

Xiao Lan narrowed her eyes slightly, rested her chin on her hand, and pondered for a moment. Then she turned to Dingding and smiled, saying, "That's because I received double the reward today!" Dingding blinked her big eyes, looking puzzled, and asked, "What's double the reward?" Looking at Dingding's innocent expression, Xiao Lan couldn't help but laugh, secretly sighing that this little girl really didn't understand anything. She composed herself, cleared her throat, and slowly explained, "It's like how I love eating pig's blood. Normally, I can only ask the kitchen for one piece at most. But who would have thought that today the Dean would personally come and get me an extra piece! I was just hoping to get one piece to satisfy my craving, but I got two! Oh my, I'm so happy!" At this point, Xiao Lan paused, as if remembering something amusing, and her smile grew even brighter. She continued, "Speaking of which, our old Master Tan is truly a talented man! He usually seems serious and rigid, but I never expected him to be so shrewd in crucial moments!"

Dingding was even more confused. Her young mistress was so happy to eat an extra piece of pig's blood. She would tell Madam Xue to remember to make more for her young mistress in the future.

Luo You held tightly to Luo Yuanyuan, who was crying her eyes out and sobbing, and hurried towards the academy gate. However, just as they were halfway there, they suddenly saw a beautiful young girl in pink walking towards them.

The young woman spotted Luo Yuanyuan from afar and immediately quickened her pace, running towards her. Upon reaching her, she first curtsied gracefully to Luo You, then asked softly, "May I ask if this young master is Lord Luo You?"

Luo You had been rebuffed by Xiao Lan earlier that day, and was still feeling quite annoyed. However, he knew he couldn't afford to look down on others as he had before, especially this young woman. She was dressed in fine silks and satins, clearly of noble birth. Therefore, Luo You suppressed his displeasure and tried his best to appear polite, replying, "That's me. May I ask how you are, young lady?"

"Greetings, Lord Luo! My daughter is Ye Lanyi, the niece of the Imperial Concubine. Yuanyuan and I are close friends, like sisters." A graceful and pretty woman took a small step forward. She wore a light pink gown, the hem of which swayed gently in the wind, like a blooming peach blossom.

Upon approaching, Ye Lanyi immediately noticed Luo Yuanyuan's eyes, which were swollen and red like walnuts. Her heart tightened, and she hurriedly asked with concern, "Yuanyuan, what happened to you? Didn't you say you were going to see the dean? Why are you crying so sadly?"

When Luo You, standing to the side, heard Ye Lanyi introduce herself as the niece of the Imperial Concubine, he instantly understood her identity and background. There were many rumors about this Imperial Concubine. It was said that not long after the Imperial Concubine entered the palace, she gave birth to the third prince, and a few years later, she brought her niece from Xiwu Prefecture to the palace to raise her with great care.

Everyone knew that the Imperial Concubine doted on her niece, even more so than her own daughter. If the Imperial Concubine hadn't remained secluded within the palace walls, many would likely have mistaken Ye Lanyi for her illegitimate daughter. Of course, another rumor circulated that the Imperial Concubine intended to groom her niece as her future daughter-in-law. Thinking of this, Luo You secretly pondered that Ye Lanyi's future status was undoubtedly extraordinary, and it was best not to offend her lightly. However, he really didn't want to say a word about the fake letter to outsiders. So, he simply smiled slightly and said calmly, "She was just reprimanded by the headmaster, perhaps she's feeling a little down. Miss Ye, to be honest, Yuanyuan and I have important matters to attend to today, so we'll take our leave now." With that, he unhesitatingly took Luo Yuanyuan's hand and hurriedly left. His actions were so swift that Ye Lanyi didn't even have time to stop him.

Meanwhile, Ye Lanyi failed to glean any valuable information from Minister Luo. Not only that, she also witnessed Luo Yuanyuan's tearful face, while Minister Luo remained enigmatic and unable to speak. Seeing this, Ye Lanyi couldn't help but wonder, "Could that bitch's letter be true?" This thought fueled her growing suspicion. But then she thought, since the academy starts classes the day after tomorrow, she'll see Xiao Lan then, so there's no need to rush. After much deliberation, Ye Lanyi decided to put this matter aside for now and focus on finding her cousin today. After all, in her previous life, her initial restraint had given Xiao Lan an opportunity. In this life, she was determined to solidify her relationship with her cousin as soon as possible and not repeat the same mistake. That way, Xiao Lan wouldn't be able to cause any trouble. However, recalling everything from her past life, Xiao Lan had always suppressed her, causing her endless grievances and humiliations. In this life, she was determined to become the supreme empress and repay Xiao Lan tenfold for all the suffering she had endured, making her wish she were dead!

With these thoughts in mind, Ye Lanyi quickened her pace, hurrying towards Yunwen Residence where Yan Linfeng was. However, Ye Lanyi was unaware that while she was talking with Luo You, Xiao Lan had witnessed everything from a short distance away. Furthermore, after seeing Ye Lanyi turn and leave towards the first-class courtyard, Xiao Lan's expression darkened, and she whispered a few instructions to her maid, Dingding. Dingding, upon receiving the order, dared not delay and hurriedly ran towards the dormitory supervisor's residence. Xiao Lan, on the other hand, waited patiently, and after estimating that the time was right, she gracefully walked towards Lanyue Residence.

At this moment, Luo You held Luo Yuanyuan's hand tightly, and together they slowly walked out of Minglu Academy. They cautiously observed their surroundings, and after confirming that there was no one else around, Luo You finally couldn't suppress his questions and asked, "Yuanyuan, I have a question for you. Are you very familiar with that Ye Lanyi? How did she know you went to Dean Tan's place?"

Hearing her father's question, Luo Yuanyuan's tear-streaked face paused slightly, then she stopped crying. She looked up at Luo You's concerned and questioning eyes, took a deep breath, and answered truthfully, "Dad, actually Ye Lanyi is my good friend. As for Xiao Lan having a letter of recommendation, she overheard others talking about it and then rushed over to tell me."

"She even knows about Young Master Nalan's affairs?" Luo You frowned, pondering to himself. After all, he was already quite old, and had spent nearly twenty years navigating the treacherous waters of the court, witnessing countless people and complex, bizarre events. Therefore, he keenly sensed that something was amiss in this matter, far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

Unlike Luo Yuanyuan, a pampered and naive young lady, Luo Youhuo had weathered many storms and developed a keen eye for understanding people's hearts. He knew that the world was often full of hidden complexities, and one could not easily draw conclusions based on appearances alone. The woman named Ye Lanyi, though outwardly dignified and serene, possessed a gaze that was far from innocent and harmless. Her eyes were like a bottomless pool, seemingly calm and still, yet turbulent beneath, making it difficult to fathom her true thoughts.

Luo Yuanyuan frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "About Young Master Lan's matter, she actually knows the truth perfectly well. That despicable swindler initially approached Lan Yi, but at that time Lan Yi did not have enough funds on hand, so she had no choice but to have me pay for the letter."

Upon hearing this, Luo You's doubts deepened. After all, that was the Imperial Concubine's own niece! How could she be short of a mere ten thousand taels of silver? Moreover, the Ye family had been running royal businesses for generations, and their wealth was considerable. Even if they didn't have that much cash on hand at the time, informing their elders would certainly have solved the financial problem. Unless… she had never intended to spend money to resolve this matter in the first place.

However, Ye Lanyi had the powerful backing of the Imperial Concubine, and acting rashly might bring unnecessary trouble upon herself. Thinking of this, Luo You said to Luo Yuanyuan with a grave expression, "Let's return to the manor first and then make a plan." With that, he and Luo Yuanyuan mounted their horses, spurred their whips, and galloped away, leaving only billowing dust in the air.

Xiao Lan sent Dingding away to run errands and returned to Lan Yue Residence alone. Afraid of running into Ye Lanyi, she walked very slowly. When she pushed open the courtyard gate, Xiao Lan was almost dumbfounded.

Xiao Lan strolled leisurely to the peach tree in her yard, intending to enjoy a relaxing afternoon. However, to her astonishment, there was a person lying on the comfortable recliner that should have been hers under the peach tree! Although she hadn't seen the person's face clearly, just catching a glimpse of that bright and unique purple color, Xiao Lan already knew the answer—who else could it be but Yan Nan Hui?

Logically speaking, Xiao Lan and Yan Nan should have had no connection whatsoever in this life. Yet here he was, brazenly appearing in her courtyard, even casually lounging on her recliner, which truly baffled Xiao Lan. After a brief moment of surprise, Xiao Lan quickly recovered. She paused for a moment, then swiftly turned around, deftly closing the courtyard gate and locking it to prevent anyone from entering.

After doing all this, Xiao Lan took a deep breath, slowly walked into the courtyard, and stood quietly beside Yan Nan Hui. At this moment, she couldn't help but fall into deep thought: should she wake the sleeping man before her? Her gaze involuntarily fell on Yan Nan Hui's handsome face, and Xiao Lan sighed inwardly, "I have to admit, Yan Nan Hui is truly blessed with good looks!" He had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a high and straight nose, and even in his sleep, his appearance still exuded captivating charm. Such outstanding looks probably couldn't even compare to the top courtesan of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion in the capital, who was said to be the reincarnation of Pan An. It seemed that in his previous life, Yan Nan Hui's reputation as a notorious playboy was undoubtedly due not only to his wealthy family but also, and perhaps more importantly, to his stunning appearance. Just as Xiao Lan was engrossed in watching, she suddenly heard a voice: "Is it good?" Xiao Lan subconsciously replied: "It's good." She then saw that the person who had been sleeping with his eyes closed had opened his eyes, his lips were upturned, and his eyes were smiling, looking at her with a mocking gaze. For some reason, Xiao Lan's face suddenly burned. She steadied herself, took two steps back, and bowed to Yan Nan Hui, "Greetings, Your Highness the Fifth Prince."

A look of surprise flashed across Yan Nan's face: "Does the young lady know me?"

“I’ve heard my family say that the Fifth Prince looks best in purple in the capital. And since he’s here at the academy, I think I’m right.” Xiao Lan thought to herself, didn’t she and Yan Nan Hui meet in the old dormitory in her past life? How come he’s in her courtyard in this life? So she stopped talking and quietly watched Yan Nan Hui. Yan Nan Hui’s smile widened when he heard Xiao Lan’s words. He said, “Miss Xiao, I am indeed Yan Nan Hui. However, I have important business to discuss with you. I wonder if you are still planning to rent Wutong Residence?” Xiao Lan was surprised when Yan Nan Hui finished speaking. Could it be that the mysterious owner of Wutong Residence is Yan Nan Hui? But that makes sense. He has the financial means to buy Wutong Residence and leave it vacant. Moreover, he made the original owner give up a perfectly good restaurant so easily, and later he couldn’t find any information about the new owner. Only a member of the royal family could have such connections.