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

Chapter 64 First Time

Yin Quan's gaze lingered on those shimmering, cold black eyes for a moment, then she quickly looked away, inwardly cursing.

This little devil... whose side are you on anyway?!

She's only been in the Prince Duan's mansion for a few days, how could she betray her savior like that!

She gritted her teeth, indignant, but amidst her indignation, she also felt a sense of wonder.

Taking a deep breath, she turned her gaze back to Xiahou Ying. She shrugged, and her eyes, which had been as bright as fireworks, suddenly dimmed, as if she had finally made up her mind. She asked in a deep voice, "How old were you when you first killed someone?"

“At eight years old, he personally killed my first friend and my first enemy in this life.” Xiahou Ying answered without hesitation, his face indifferent, like the cold lake surface shrouded in the pale moonlight on a snowy winter night, with translucent pearly white mist swirling and floating above it, exuding a unique chill.

That aloofness seemed to belong to a different world, a different era, a different… face of his, which was so pure and beautiful that it surpassed all others.

Upon hearing his answer, Yin Quan didn't know how to continue. He remained silent, gazing at him. His dark eyes, as bright as glass and jade, were filled with complex emotions: shock, astonishment, and unexpected sorrow. These emotions seeped out through his dark pupils, which were bloodshot and stained with a broken red, reflecting his cold and aloof features.

At this moment, everything and everyone—Qin Chang'an, Gu Lounan, Emperor Tianxi, the Crown Prince, and others—seemed insignificant in an instant. In her ears, in her mind, and in her blood, only that cold, indifferent sentence echoed, as if it had cut off and crushed all her emotions.

If she didn't know what kind of world he lived in before, now she did.

Without avoiding her unfathomable yet all-encompassing eyes, Xiahou Ying pursed his lips and continued, "After you learn about the past, you will understand that I am not as you think."

"What nonsense are you talking about? I said that if you don't leave me, I won't abandon you. I, Yin Quan, have always been a person of my word." Quickly regaining her composure, Yin Quan retorted coldly. The coquettishness in her diamond-like eyes was gone, replaced by a certainty and persistence that Xiahou Ying had never seen before.

His gaze fell upon her, and Xiahou Ying's thin lips moved almost imperceptibly, like a dragonfly skimming the water, leaving ripples on the surface of a river, a fleeting moment as graceful as a startled swan, before vanishing without a trace.

That day, the two did nothing more, but it was the first time they shared a bed.

Unaware of the truth, the crowd kept watch outside the room all night. Not only Harina and Lian Hongling, the two wild and daring members of the Mongol tribe, but even Long Jue, who had just returned to the manor after completing his mission, also put his ear to the door.

The white-clad guards inside the mansion were so enraged that their lips twitched uncontrollably; they simply couldn't bear to watch any longer...

Before dawn the next day, Yin Quan set off with Xiahou Ying.

The carriage was naturally prepared by Wei Jun. Censor Ruan was carried over early in the morning by his servant in a sedan chair. Before the moon had set, the group had already left the city in the carriage.

To avoid inconvenience during the journey, Yin Quan changed into men's clothing, looking every bit the handsome and dashing young master, with a touch of charm and elegance in his eyes.

Looking at Yin Quan sitting with Xiahou Ying, Lord Ruan's gaze drifted uncontrollably towards the two of them until a cold and indifferent voice rang out.

"Lord Ruan, many counties in the south have suffered from disasters, but the report from Qiucheng County has been delayed again and again. I wonder what your opinion is on this matter?"

Xiahou Ying's voice remained clear and cool, even carrying a hint of leisure, as if he were talking about something extremely ordinary.

Upon hearing this, Ruan Zhengde shrugged, quickly averting his gaze from the two closely pressed shoulders, and gave a slight bow, replying, "Your Highness, I believe this matter is due to the unique geographical environment, and not..."

"According to your opinion, my lord, it seems that I am being overly suspicious?" Raising an eyebrow, Xiahou Ying's deep, cold black eyes suddenly revealed a faint blue light, exuding a chilling aura.

"This humble official dares not!" Ruan Zhengde exclaimed in a flustered voice, burying his gaze deep in his chest, his heart pounding wildly.

The elderly official, well past sixty, felt aggrieved...

He was supposed to retire and return to his hometown on the sixth day of the eleventh month, but who knew he would be assigned such a task...

Many court officials were coerced by the tyranny of the Imperial Preceptor, which made life difficult for those who remained neutral.

If he weren't about to retire, he would never have accepted such a thankless task. If he accidentally offended the Crown Prince and the Grand Preceptor, his old bones wouldn't be enough for them to tear him apart!

This person in front of me... doesn't seem so easy to deal with... Besides, this person seems to have some unusual fetishes...

The world is going to the dogs, and life is tough...

The more he thought about it, the more he felt tightness in his chest and shortness of breath. Ruan Zhengde sighed.

Listening to the conversation between Xiahou Ying and Ruan Zhengde, Yin Quan realized for the first time what the art of speaking was.

The profound meaning contained in this sentence is so complex that it's easy to get lost in it without a sharp mind.

Think about those born into imperial families, blessed with imperial mandates, yet they live on the edge, more pitiful than any child from an ordinary family.

The vast land is but a fleeting dream...

"Well, what you say, sir, is not entirely without reason."

After a brief silence, Xiahou Ying lowered his gaze, the fierceness in his eyes gone, replaced by a serene, misty look.

Ignoring Ruan Zhengde, he silently took out a sheepskin map from his pocket and began to examine it intently.

Seeing this, Ruan Zhengde was slightly taken aback. After the fright he had just experienced, he dared not say a word and simply kept his eyes closed in silence.

His gaze swept back and forth across the intersecting blue and black lines on the map. Xiahou Ying pursed his thin lips, which resembled snow-covered red plum blossoms. His aloof and cold face remained expressionless, making him look like a jade sculpture that embodied the essence of heaven and earth, lustrous and radiant, beyond compare.

After alighting from the carriage, Xiahou Ying walked quickly to the front, where Wei Jun and several other attendants were already waiting with the reins. About half an hour after the group rode away, Gu Lounan and his confidants caught up with the carriage.

Before the group could get close, a loud "boom" was heard, and the carriage suddenly exploded. The scattered fragments flew like lightning, covering Gu Lounan and the others like a tidal wave.

Slowly lowering the arm that had been covering his face, Gu Lounan gazed at the charred remains on the ground. His slender phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and a wicked smile crept onto his lips, which had been gently pursed. He then reined in his horse, turned it around, and galloped away in the direction he had come from.

Suddenly, several birds burst through the treetops behind him, creating a flurry of fluttering sounds. Ruan Zhengde frowned, then looked away at the straight, jade-like white figure in front of him. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, feeling as if his heart was shrouded in a complex web of fear.

Noticing the faint sounds coming from behind, Yin Quan turned around and looked back, just in time to see Ruan Zhengde wiping away cold sweat.

She pursed her lips, averted her gaze, and looked at Xiahou Ying, who was walking beside her. She saw that his aloof and cold face, as exquisite as a white jade sculpture, was completely unmoved, as if he did not care about the faint sounds that came from the mountains and forests behind him.

Upon seeing this, a slight thought crossed her mind.

Could it be... that the sound just now was made by Xiahou Ying?

Thinking of this, she recalled the snow-white sedan chair coated with deadly poison when he was assassinated. Her eyes darkened, and a hint of inquiry crept into her gaze as she looked at him.

I wonder how many more people will die at his hands after that commotion...

The group's journey to the ferry was relatively smooth, and there were no further complications until they boarded the ship.

Zhaoyang Palace, the Eastern Palace.

"He managed to dodge it again?" Standing with his hands behind his back in front of the blood-red circular window, the Crown Prince's voice was cold and deep, freezing the air in the entire East Palace Hall almost instantly, penetrating into the bones of everyone in the hall.

Upon hearing this, Gu Lounan remained expressionless, merely gesturing with his eyes for the palace servants attending him to leave. He then adjusted his magnificent, pure black cuffs, which gleamed with an ancient silver light, before stepping into matching brocade boots and slowly walking behind Crown Prince Xiahou Jue. He replied in a low voice, "Your Highness need not worry. Your humble servant is already prepared."

Upon hearing the gentle voice from behind, Xiahou Jue frowned slightly, then turned around and glanced at the respectfully bowing figure. His dark eyes were filled with turbulent emotions, yet no one could discern what kind of feelings they contained.

Seeing that the Crown Prince seemed to have developed some interest, Gu Lounan calmly straightened his body, his hands hidden inside the wide, pure black sleeves of his robe. The slightly upturned corners of his eyes were tinged with an unseen, alluring light, like a violet blooming in the quiet night, strangely beautiful and full of deadly poison.

Staring into those eyes that were like poisonous flowers from hell, the Crown Prince pursed his lips, his sharp, hawk-like gaze darkened, the oppressive aura slowly faded, and his usual composure returned.

"Go and summon Ruyi. I have something to tell her."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go immediately."

With a slight upturn of his lips, Gu Lounan bowed and quickly withdrew from the East Palace.

Standing at the bow of the boat, Yin Quan rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the mountains and rivers on both sides.

As darkness deepened and starlight appeared, the mountains on both sides resembled ancient, dormant beasts, their dark outlines looking rather terrifying.

As the river flowed gently, she suddenly felt someone approaching from behind. She turned around sharply and met a pair of long, narrow black eyes that were like pearls and the moon.