Mad Queen Leaves the Palace

As night fell and the lanterns were lit, the entire Minglu Academy was enveloped in a tranquil and mysterious atmosphere. In the east wing of Lanyue Residence, candlelight flickered, illuminating the figures of two people inside.

Xiao Lan sat gracefully at the table, her beautiful face appearing even more radiant and captivating in the candlelight. Seated opposite her was none other than the esteemed Fifth Prince, Yan Nan Hui. Yan Nan Hui was staring at Xiao Lan with a silly grin, as if he were looking at the most precious treasure in the world.

Xiao Lan couldn't bear his gaze any longer and finally spoke up, "Your Highness, you've been laughing for ages, shouldn't you go back and rest? It's getting late." Her voice was clear and melodious, like a nightingale's song, but the helplessness in her words was obvious. Hearing Xiao Lan's voice, Yan Nan Hui's already smiling face blossomed even more brightly, his smile deepening. His lips curled up, revealing a row of clean, white teeth, and his eyes sparkled with a bright, warm light as he softly said, "Lan Lan, didn't we already agree that from now on you won't call me 'Your Highness' anymore? If you insist on doing so, hehe, then I really won't be polite! I'll definitely punish you, you little rascal!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lan merely curled her lip slightly, feigning indifference, and replied coquettishly, "Hmph, punishment? What kind of punishment can you possibly give me?" As she spoke, she secretly wondered: Is this guy planning to use this as an excuse to spank me again? Just as she was thinking this, she unexpectedly saw Yan Nan Hui suddenly smile at her again.

His smile was as radiant and dazzling as peach blossoms in spring, brimming with endless tenderness and affection. Especially his eyes, like deep lake water, shimmering with unspoken words, staring intently at her, making her heart flutter. Seeing this, Xiao Lan couldn't help but curse inwardly: What a seductive vixen! However, before she could recover, Yan Nan Hui suddenly reached out his right hand, grabbed Xiao Lan's left hand, and turned it so the back of her hand faced upwards. Then, he slowly lowered his head and gently pressed his lips to the back of Xiao Lan's hand, giving it a light kiss.

Xiao Lan's eyes widened, completely unprepared for the punishment Yan Nanhui would give. For a moment, she was stunned, her mind blank, unable to react at all.

Just then, Yan Nan noticed Xiao Lan's absent-minded state, and a mischievous smile crept onto his lips. He gently leaned closer, his face near Xiao Lan's, and murmured in an extremely soft and teasing tone, "My little white rabbit, are you scared?" His voice was like a gentle breeze brushing past one's ear, so light it was almost imperceptible, yet it seemed to possess a certain magic, compelling one to listen intently.

However, despite Yan Nanhui's low voice, Xiao Lan still faintly heard a few words due to the close proximity. The words "little white rabbit," in particular, reached her ears clearly. In an instant, a wave of embarrassment and annoyance washed over her, causing Xiao Lan's already pale cheeks to flush crimson.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Lan tried to calm herself down and looked at Yan Nan Hui seriously, saying, "Yan Nan Hui, please be serious! I really have something very important to tell you." Her gaze was firm and serious, as if she would not allow the other party to joke around in the slightest.

"Okay, okay," Yan Nan hurriedly agreed, but his hands showed no intention of letting go of Xiao Lan's small hand, still holding it tightly in his broad and warm palm. Seeing this, Xiao Lan subconsciously tried to pull her hand back, but failed several times. In the end, she simply stopped struggling and let Yan Nan hold it like that.

At this moment, Xiao Lan looked at Yan Nan with a serious expression and said solemnly, "Let me make this clear to you. Although we are engaged now, if you meet a girl who truly moves you and whom you like during this time, don't hide it from me. Just tell me openly, and we can sit down and discuss a solution to dissolve this engagement. But if you clearly have someone you like but deliberately hide it from me, and even try to do something like keeping a mistress or having an affair behind my back, humph! Then things won't be as simple as just dissolving the engagement. You should know my temper very well; what I hate most in my life is being deceived! So I hope you will remember what I said and not do anything to disappoint me." After saying this, Xiao Lan's gaze remained fixed on Yan Nan, as if trying to discern something from his expression and eyes.

Yan Nan Hui stared at Xiao Lan's solemn and dignified expression, and his heart skipped a beat. His initial thought of cracking a joke to lighten the mood vanished instantly. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his chaotic thoughts, and then replied with equal seriousness, "Lan Lan, please believe me. In this life, I, Yan Nan Hui, will never betray you. If I break this promise, even if the heavens collapse and the earth cracks, even if the sea dries up and the rocks crumble, I am willing to suffer the most severe punishment in the world!" Having said this, he looked at Xiao Lan with unwavering determination, as if trying to etch this vow deep into her heart.

To everyone's surprise, after hearing her lover make such a solemn vow, Xiao Lan did not show the joy that a typical woman would have. She merely frowned slightly, replying calmly, "I have no interest in such empty vows of lifelong commitment. Leaving aside the fact that very few in this world can truly live up to such vows, you, as a prince, will inevitably face many things beyond your control in the future. Therefore, let's not mention such things again. For me, I only hope that you can protect me during our engagement. If one day in the future another woman of exceptional talent and beauty enters your heart and brings you joy, that's fine too. However, at that time, I only ask that you be honest with me and not hide anything from me. After all, such things are quite common in this world; you don't need to carry any psychological burden, and I will never bind you. However, if you harbor feelings for someone while feigning affection for me, then not only will we have to break off the engagement, but we might not even be able to remain friends!"

Yan Nan looked at Xiao Lan, who was speaking so seriously, as if to explain to her that he would never like anyone else in his life except her, Xiao Lan. However, considering that there was no better proof at the moment, he could only agree and say, "Okay, Lan Lan, don't worry, I've remembered everything you said."

Seeing that Yan Nan Hui didn't refute her, Xiao Lan felt relieved. Although it wasn't good to say such things to her fiancé so soon after the arranged marriage, she couldn't let her rebirth go to waste. Some things might be harsh, but clarifying things beforehand could avoid future problems and mutual resentment. She and Yan Nan Hui were only engaged by agreement, but judging from her brother's expression, he seemed serious. So, Xiao Lan needed to pour cold water on him. After all, she thought that even if she and Yan Nan Hui broke off the engagement, they could still be friends. There was no need to ruin such a good friendship over love. Counting the days, Yan Nan Hui should have met Xiao Bai Tu by now. At her wedding, Yan Nan Hui said Xiao Bai Tu was marrying someone from another place, and his personal guard said that Yan Nan Hui had already loved Xiao Bai Tu for two years at that time. That meant he had fallen in love with Xiao Bai Tu not long after she met him. So, Xiao Lan wanted to ask him which restaurant Xiao Bai Tu belonged to. If she could find her before she started seeing customers, wouldn't that make up for the regret of Yan Nanhui in her past life? A thought struck her. Xiao Lan decided to go home and ask Uncle Li to help her look for her before he left.

Before Yan Nanhui could say anything, Xiao Lan yawned and said, "Your Highness, I'm sleepy. I have to get up early for morning lessons tomorrow. You should rest early too." Then, ignoring Yan Nanhui's reluctant look, she called out, "Ding ding, fetch water. I need to wash up."

Seeing that Xiao Lan was truly tired, Yan Nan Hui decided it wasn't convenient for him to stay any longer, so he returned to his main room at night. However, what Xiao Lan didn't know was that Yan Nan Hui didn't immediately wash up and go to sleep. Instead, he summoned his guards, and the group scaled the wall of Lan Yue Residence from the back of the main room, then slipped out of the academy through a path in the academy's woods. They didn't return until almost dawn. All of this was done while everyone else in the courtyard was asleep. So, the next morning, after Xiao Lan finished washing up with Ding Ding's help, she opened her door to find only Wu Yu Yu and Yan Nan Hui waiting for her in the courtyard.

When the three of them came out of the courtyard, they found Yan Mobei waiting at the gate. After seeing them come out, Yan Mobei bowed and said, "Fifth Brother, I thought you and Fifth Sister-in-law had just gotten engaged, and you are currently in a blissful period, so you have no time to think about anything else. I just happened to come and keep Miss Wu company on her way to and from school." Then he looked at Wu Yuyu and said, "Miss Wu probably doesn't want to bother my Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law. It just so happens that we live close by, so we can keep each other company on our way to and from school."

Next to each other are several small courtyards: Taiping Residence, where Yan Jingtian, Yan Moyan, and Lin Yuxuan live to the north; Yunwen Residence, where Yan Linfeng, Ye Lanyi, and Ye Yuandong live to the west; and Xiaoyao Residence, where Yan Mobei lives to the south. Originally, each courtyard should house at least two people, but everyone else has found a place to stay except for Yan Mobei, so he is currently living alone in his courtyard. To the east is Lanyue Residence, where Xiao Lan, Yan Nanhui, and Wu Yuyu live.

After listening to Yan Mobei's words, Xiao Lan pondered for a moment. Refusing would seem somewhat heartless, but she couldn't understand why Yan Mobei was seeking out her sister. In terms of family background, the Wu family was a general's mansion built on military merit, but they were only a fourth-rank military officer with few troops. Furthermore, Wu Yuyu wasn't exactly a stunning beauty. After much thought, she still couldn't understand Yan Mobei's motives, so she nodded slightly to Yan Nanhui.

After seeing Xiao Lan's signal, Yan Nan Hui said to Yan Mo Bei, "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, Sixth Brother. However, my sister-in-law is still young. If she offends you in any way, please forgive her for my sake. If there's anything, just tell me directly." The implication was that Wu Yu Yu was too young to be provoked, and if she wronged him, he should talk to his future brother-in-law.

Having grown up in the palace, Yan Mobei naturally understood Yan Nanhui's meaning. He smiled and said, "Since she is Fifth Sister-in-law's cousin, then she is also my sister. Fifth Brother, don't worry, I will definitely take good care of Sister Yuyu."

At this moment, Wu Yuyu interrupted, "Sixth Prince, my sister said that it's better to address each other as 'fellow student' in the academy. But thank you, Sixth Prince. My sister has just been betrothed, so it's not appropriate for me to be around her and her husband every day. But there's no need to wait for me. Sister Lanyi and Brother Lin live nearby, so I can go with them later."

Wu Yuyu had only been there a few days, and Xiao Lan hadn't explained the intricacies of the academy to her. Ye Lanyi had always treated Wu Yuyu like an older sister. Yesterday, after class, Xiao Lan and Yan Nan returned to Wutong Residence. After they left, Ye Lanyi deliberately pulled Wu Yuyu aside for a chat. Wu Yuyu was still a child and had always been well protected by Jiang Xiuzhi, so she had no chance to resist Ye Lanyi's enthusiasm. The two chatted until they had dinner in the dining hall before returning. However, after leaving the dining hall, to prevent Xiao Lan from discovering her closeness with Wu Yuyu, Ye Lanyi made an excuse that she wanted to go to her old loft to ask a friend about her studies, and parted ways with Wu Yuyu. In addition, Xiao Lan had been kept occupied by Yan Nan the previous night and couldn't spare the time to care for Wu Yuyu. So, upon hearing this, Xiao Lan's expression immediately changed drastically. She didn't notice that Yan Nan's expression was equally unpleasant.

Xiao Lan said to Yan Nan Hui, "Your Highness, please go ahead with the Sixth Prince. I have some things to discuss with my younger sister." Without looking at Yan Nan Hui and Yan Mo Bei, she directly pulled Wu Yu Yu back to Lan Yue Residence and led her directly to the east wing.