The Princess Cannot Escape: The Cunning Prince Is Not to Be Messed With

Chapter 52 The Cutest Height Difference

Xiahou Ying's eyes, as clear and cold as the moonlight, slowly fixed on the top of her head, a faint gentleness filling them.

After finally persuading the person clinging to him to get up and wash, Xiahou Ying walked out of the room with his hands behind his back, but did not go far.

He stood outside the door, gazing at the figure sitting in front of the bronze mirror for a long time. Then he looked away and walked a few steps outside. Only when he was out of Yin Quan's sight did he speak to Wei Jun: "Yin Ru's entry into the Eastern Palace as a slave was probably orchestrated by Gu Lounan. He also sent more people to Father Emperor's side."

Upon hearing this, Wei Jun frowned: "Master, fifty percent of the palace staff inside and outside the Forbidden City are Divine Fiends, do you want to add more?"

After listening, Xiahou Ying paused, a deep, unfathomable shadow gradually clouding his dark eyes. "Furthermore, Father Emperor is now advanced in years, the Crown Prince's power is growing, divisions among the court officials are emerging, and many southern provinces are suffering from floods while the north is mired in years of drought. Father Emperor has no time to attend to the palace intrigues. For the Crown Prince, this is perhaps the best opportunity to seize power..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yin Quan, who had finished dressing, had already left the room and quickly clung to him again.

“You’ve been frowning a lot lately, it’s almost given you wrinkles.” Yin Quan smiled, revealing two small tiger teeth that glistened in the sunlight, as she smoothed the vertical line between Xiahou Ying’s eyebrows with her finger.

Seeing Yin Quan walk out, Wei Jun respectfully nodded and turned to leave, leaving only the two of them in the courtyard.

“Xiahou Ying, if it’s something that needs to be done in the palace, then my matter can be put on hold…” She walked around to stand in front of him, looked up at him, and her gaze was firm.

Hearing her voice, which always held a touch of vitality, Xiahou Ying lowered his gaze, his eyes, as clear and bright as the cold moon, fixed on her. His thin red lips moved slightly, and a faint glimmer of light shone in his eyes, tinged with a soft emotion.

She is bold and reckless, yet terrified of death; she is unrestrained and willful, yet possesses a naturally keen and insightful mind, with a sharp gaze that penetrates to the heart. She is a seven-colored butterfly, fluttering and bright, like the glow of sunset, like fireworks, like the most dazzling and radiant pearl in the world, shimmering and leaping uninvited, stirring and agitating the softest part of your heart, stimulating your thoughts, yet without intending to linger.

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat ambiguous. She looked at his thick, long eyelashes and the small fan-shaped shadow beneath them, and subconsciously swallowed.

He's clearly a man, but his eyelashes are longer than hers...

He was clearly a man, yet his skin was even whiter and more translucent than hers...

He's clearly a man, but his lips look softer and more delicate than hers...

It's so incredibly tempting!

He swallowed again, and this time, to his dismay, he made a sound.

Ahhh! She couldn't hold back anymore!

A wolf howled in her mind, and she stretched out her arms to hook Xiahou Ying's neck. However, the man, as straight as a pine tree under the cold moonlight, was too tall. Yin Quan's outstretched arms could only barely touch his slender neck, and she could not go any further.

She cursed inwardly, "Damn it!" She continued to relentlessly hook her arms around his neck. Before Xiahou Ying could react, she had already leaped up, hanging on him like a monkey, her nose pressed against the crook of his neck, her face instantly turning red.

Yin Quan, clinging to Xiahou Ying, was almost in tears. She was certain that she and he had the most adorable height difference, but now she was so conflicted. When she wanted to kiss him, she couldn't reach him even if she jumped up. It was practically discrimination against short-legged people!

Just as she was struggling with her decision, the handsome and refined face in front of her suddenly leaned down and precisely captured her lips.

After a long and lingering struggle, Yin Quan, her face flushed, reached out and wiped Xiahou Ying's thin lips with her finger, whispering, "Um, you have my powder on your lips..."

Holding her smooth fingers, Xiahou Ying gently kissed them and said, "It's alright."

Peeking out from inside the room at the two people, Harina and Lian Hongling exchanged a glance and then revealed almost identical smiles.

Outside the grand vermilion and gold-inlaid gate of the East Palace, Gu Lounan stood there, his wide sleeves of purple and gold gathered together. His long, narrow phoenix eyes were fixed on the exquisite gold door knocker, and a faint, ambiguous smile played on his pale orange lips.

"Grand Preceptor, His Highness the Crown Prince has instructed me to bring you inside."

While Gu Lounan was somewhat lost in thought, a soft, sweet voice came from beside him. He raised his eyebrows and looked down at the owner of the voice, seeing a face with brows that resembled Yin Quan's.

His heart stirred slightly, and he moved his lips, seemingly quite interested in the palace maid: "Are you surnamed Yin?"

Upon hearing this, the palace maid paused for a moment, then replied in a low voice, "Replying to the Grand Preceptor, once I entered the palace, I was born a palace person and died a palace soul. The surname Yin has long been abandoned by me, and my current name is Ruyi."

Walking leisurely behind Ruyi, Gu Lounan said nothing more, but his long, narrow phoenix eyes glanced at her intentionally or unintentionally.

Could she be Yin Quan's sister in the Prime Minister's residence...?

As he was pondering, the Crown Prince, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe embroidered with golden dragons, emerged from the inner palace to greet him. Upon seeing this, Gu Lounan leaned forward slightly, nodded, and said, "This humble subject greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Xiahou Ying wants to hold another wedding ceremony." Passing directly in front of his respectful figure, Crown Prince Xiahou Jue stepped forward with his hands behind his back, his words devoid of any inflection, neither a question nor a statement.

"Oh?" Straightening up, Gu Lounan raised his chin and looked in the direction of the pale figure. Although his tone was slightly raised, a faint interest appeared on his bewitching face.

"He ordered a stage to be set up in Yanzhengfang, which faces Xuanwu Gate. I heard that he wanted to invite all the people of the capital to be their witnesses. Even Qin Chang'an has never made such a big fuss..." Xiahou Jue said, turning to look at Gu Lounan. His dark eyes, which had been concealing their sharpness, narrowed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Does the Imperial Preceptor know who that woman is?"

Looking into those eyes that held a cold glint within, Gu Lounan curled his lips and bowed, saying, "This humble subject does not know, but in my opinion, Prince Duan has only recently returned from the northern border, and perhaps she was a woman from the martial world whom he met on the way."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Jue's gaze flickered as he looked at Gu Lounan, then he looked away and continued walking forward: "Isn't the Imperial Advisor curious?"

"Curious?" Raising his gaze, Gu Lounan repeated the words of the person in front of him.

"I am very curious... Given Xiahou Ying's aloof and cold nature, losing Qin Chang'an is already a huge blow. How could he be so moved by other women?" Xiahou Jue said, his sharp black eyes fixed on the osmanthus tree in full bloom. The smile on his lips was as sharp as his slightly curved eagle eyes.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he looked at Gu Lounan and asked, "Are you satisfied with the dancers we gave to the Grand Preceptor earlier?"

"I am satisfied. Your Highness's reward is the greatest honor for this humble subject." After a slight bow, Gu Lounan tucked his hands into his wide sleeves and focused his gaze on the indigo floor tiles.

"I like people like the Imperial Advisor who know how to appreciate things. I called you here today not for Xiahou Ying's marriage..." As he spoke, Xiahou Jue slowed his pace, and his originally handsome features were suddenly covered with a layer of frost.

He winked at Ruyi, who was waiting to the side, and the latter quickly left, leaving only Xiahou Jue and Gu Lounan in the East Palace Garden.

"You saw the person, how was it?" Xiahou Jue asked in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on a cassia tree.

"Knows when to advance and retreat, knows proper etiquette, quite suitable." Standing still, Gu Lounan responded calmly, the faint smile on his pale orange lips still present.

“In two days, it will be this year’s imperial concubine selection ceremony. Father is getting old, and now there is flooding in the south and drought in the north. I will entrust this trivial matter to you to oversee.” As he spoke, he took two steps forward, reached out and pinched the low branch of the osmanthus tree with two fingers, and slowly rubbed the golden petals that were the size of rice grains.

"Your subject will obey Your Highness's command." Respectfully responding, Gu Lounan bowed deeply, his body almost bent at a ninety-degree angle.

After hearing this, Xiahou Jue turned around, his gaze falling on Gu Lounan. He narrowed his eyes and then said, "Xiahou Ying is engaged. As the head of the Eastern Palace, it would be impolite of me not to go and offer my congratulations. As the saying goes, it is better to meet by chance than to invite someone. Why doesn't the Imperial Preceptor come with me to Yanzhengfang?"

"Since Your Highness has invited me, I will naturally accompany you."

"Good!" His voice suddenly rose, and Xiahou Jue's fingers twitched slightly. With a "crack," the osmanthus branch that he had been caressing between his fingers broke off.

He handed the flower branch to Gu Lounan's chest and chuckled, "Xiahou Ying's engagement is bound to be accompanied by a surprise. I would be grateful if the Grand Preceptor could prepare a grand gift for me!" With that, he laughed heartily and stepped forward, his tall figure quickly disappearing behind the palace gate.

Turning around to look at his back, Gu Lounan respectfully responded, holding a fragrant osmanthus flower. Only after Xiahou Jue's figure gradually disappeared did he straighten up.

Slowly turning the small piece of flower branch in his hand, Gu Lounan's eyes darkened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

A grand gift...

Since the Prince of Duan is engaged, a grand gift should be sent, which is befitting Xiahou Ying's status as a member of the royal family.

Walking hand in hand on Chang Le Street in the capital, a street wide enough for four carriages to travel side by side, Yin Quan's gaze remained fixed on Xiahou Ying, never wavering for a moment. As a result, she stepped into many messy potholes along the way. Fortunately, she had a tall, handsome oppa by her side who could rescue her from any trouble at any time, which made her very happy.

The two walked hand in hand, immediately attracting many glances, most of which were filled with envious admiration, like twinkling lights.

The combination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman is always an absolute attraction in any era. On the bustling street, most of the young women's eyes were focused on Xiahou Ying, while the men stared wide-eyed at Yin Quan.

Today, Yin Quan specially wore a dress she had ordered from a tailor shop more than two months ago.

This made her already curvaceous figure even more exquisite and charming. From the slightly open neckline, two snow-white, round breasts could be vaguely seen, causing the men on both sides of the street to keep pushing forward, all wanting to get a closer look at the stunning beauty of this jade-like woman.

"Move aside a bit!"

"You're the one who shouldn't push!"

"Ouch, you stepped on me!"

The sounds of men arguing drifted over from time to time. Yin Quan smiled, waved to the few people who squeezed closer, and said "Hi" as a side note.

This sudden "hi" stunned the several wealthy-looking men who had been huddled together. They stared at her intently, swallowing hard repeatedly.