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

Chapter 80 Because you're handsome

A concubine's daughter from a military family, who has long been confined to her chambers, would never possess the courage and wisdom of the person before her. Yet, this long-standing investigation has yielded no results, nor has she revealed any flaws...

Yin Quan, how long are you going to keep this a secret until you confess to me?

Staring intently at that bright and beautiful figure in crimson, as vibrant as a June azalea, Xiahou Ying's mind raced, but he quickly suppressed the overwhelming emotions surging within him.

Seeing that he was just looking at her without saying a word, and that his usually expressionless and handsome face was even more expressionless, Yin Quan swallowed hard, her heart pounding like a deer.

Ahhh! Don't stay silent!

She was just speaking impulsively; if he asked her to take it back, she would!

Suddenly, just as she was desperately swallowing to calm herself, Xiahou Ying, who had been standing tall and motionless, suddenly walked towards her without saying a word. Yin Quan felt a chill run down her spine and quickly went behind the long table without thinking. She then heard a clear voice in her ear: "It makes sense. If you don't want to learn it, then forget it."

"Huh?" She blinked, stunned.

Not learning?

Is Xiahou Ying... the kind of person who would give in so easily...?

Staring blankly at those deep, refined features, she parted her lips slightly, utterly shocked.

As if he had anticipated her reaction, Xiahou Ying appeared quite calm.

"how?"

"No, no, no, it's nothing. I just can't look at you a few more times because you're so handsome!" Yin Quan shook her head and waved her hands frantically, her face turning red.

"Ah Quan..." Xiahou Ying suddenly spoke, looking at her intently and seriously, as if he wanted to say something.

"Hmm?" Blinking, Yin Quan tilted her head, only to see the snow-white figure turn away and no longer look at her.

Staring blankly at that tall, straight back, she frowned slightly, but quickly realized that she seemed to have had her attention diverted by Xiahou Ying without her noticing.

She pouted, squinted at his back, and said, "You still haven't told me the relationship between Tinghailou and the four great manors."

A melodious voice, like the tinkling of a stream, came from behind. Xiahou Ying pursed his lips, and after a long while, turned around and glanced at Yin Quan, replying, "Tinghailou does not belong to any organization; it is merely an intelligence trading agency."

Upon hearing this, Yin Quan slowly withdrew her gaze.

Intelligence trading agencies...

If it's just an intelligence trading agency, why would it be operating near the Imperial Preceptor's residence?

Could it be that he was acting on someone's orders...?

Her mind raced, and she suddenly recalled Gu Lounan's awkward position in Chonglou Manor, causing her brows to furrow even deeper.

A son born out of wedlock...

Perhaps, like Yin Quan, the rightful owner of this body, she is not having a good time...

Thinking of this, she didn't continue thinking about it.

Whether she's doing well or not is none of her business... Someone of such lowly birth who rose to the position of Imperial Preceptor at such a young age must not be a kind person.

She shrugged, then suddenly opened her eyes as if remembering something: "You, did you have something to say just now?"

Yin Quan leaned forward slightly, her eyes sparkling like spring water, her beautiful eyes bright as pearls and gems, instantly reflecting the bottom of Xiahou Ying's dark eyes, revealing a faint, cold moonlight-like color.

A sweet and delicate lotus fragrance wafted into his nose. Xiahou Ying pursed his lips, neither hesitating nor refusing, as if he was simply thinking about how to answer.

Before he could speak, she suddenly straightened up and waved her hand casually, saying, "Even a dignified Prince Duan has times when he needs to organize his thoughts. Never mind, never mind, maybe next time..." She paused, then softened her voice and continued, "I'll wait for you, until you've thought of what to say, then tell me."

After saying that, Yin Quan casually picked up the thick stack of books on the long table and said lazily, "The royal family's reputation is none of my business, but I can't possibly offend you, the Prince of Duan, can I?"

With a slight movement of his dark eyes, Xiahou Ying moved his thin, crimson lips, and after a long while, he curled his lips and uttered a rather meaningful sentence: "No matter what, you must believe that I will not deceive you or hurt you."

After speaking, he waved his sleeve and walked out.

After watching the pale figure moving away against the light for a long time, Yin Quan looked away and stared at the yellowed pages of the book in her hand, her emotions still unsettled.

The day has finally come.

With Xiahou Ying's almost instinctive intelligence, there was no way he wouldn't have noticed... that she was both Yin Quan, the illegitimate daughter of a military family, and not.

Thinking this, Yin Quan sat down in the cushioned golden nanmu chair, closed the book, and clenched her trembling fists.

As the wedding day drew closer, Yin Quan became increasingly nervous.

Staring at her reflection in the bronze mirror with huge dark circles under her eyes, she suddenly turned her head and asked, "Do I look terrible right now?"

Harina, Lian Hongling, and Long Jue were all taken aback by her sudden question.

Seeing the almost identical stunned reactions of the three, Yin Quan sighed and turned her gaze back to the bronze mirror, a word popping into her mind: Shit!

This damn red tape...

Ugh! What grudge could they possibly have against her?! They're practically driving her to her death!

A surge of resentment welled up in her chest, and she was so angry that she wanted to overturn the table. However, the furniture in the palace was made of the finest golden nanmu wood, and even three strong men might not be able to move it without any pressure, let alone a weak woman like her with thin arms and legs who couldn't even kill a chicken.

The three men looked at her listless and sighing appearance, and exchanged puzzled glances.

"My lady, you don't mean you don't want to marry the prince, do you?"

After a brief silence, Harina, who is always outspoken, took the initiative to speak first.

Her question startled Granny Gui and Chun Ya, who were waiting on the other side, so much that they trembled.

"Don't talk nonsense. Tomorrow is the wedding day. How can you break off the engagement at this time?" Seemingly startled by Harina's reckless words, Granny Gui hurriedly spoke up, fearing that Yin Quan might act impulsively and really have the idea of ​​breaking off the engagement or running away.

"Don't worry, I won't regret it now that I've decided to marry him..." Yin Quan waved her hand dismissively, turning her head to look at her obviously sleep-deprived face in the bronze mirror.

This looks really pathetic...

Thinking back to my previous lofty ambitions, now...

Thinking of this, she turned her head to look at the long table opposite the dressing table, which was in a mess, and sighed deeply.

You reap what you sow...

If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have boasted in the first place and tried to make myself seem superior!

Now... damn it!

The more she thought about it, the more distressed she felt. She stood up and said to Granny Gui and Chun Ya, "The wedding is tomorrow. I am already familiar with the procedures and rules. You should go back to the palace now. I will have to trouble you two again tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, the two palace maids did not hesitate and immediately bowed and left.

Once only Harina and the other two remained in the room, Yin Quan's expression turned serious as he looked at Long Jue: "You've been by Xiahou Ying's side for so many years, do you even know about Tinghai Tower?"

After listening, Long Jue nodded and wrote two words in the center of her palm: Intelligence.

Seeing this, Yin Quan pursed her lips.

Xiahou Ying was indeed not lying to her.

It wasn't that she didn't trust him, but what he had said a few days ago was something she couldn't help but care about.

Why would he suddenly say that...?

No matter what, he had to convince her that he wouldn't deceive or hurt her.

Thinking this, Yin Quan pursed her lips, remained silent for a moment, and then turned to Lian Hongling to ask, "Since the day I was assassinated, have you found any trace of that madam Li? Also, have you noticed anything unusual while you were monitoring the Imperial Preceptor's residence these past few days?"

Nodding in response, Lian Hongling replied in a deep voice, "I have already sent the bees to search every corner inside and outside the city for three miles, but I have not yet found the madam's whereabouts. A few days ago, a woman wearing a cloak was seen entering and leaving the Imperial Preceptor's residence, and she did not look like someone from Zhaoyang."

She frowned slightly, as if some unspoken confusion was gathering in her heart.

"Not like someone from Zhaoyang?" Yin Quan raised an eyebrow and asked in return.

“That’s right. Although the woman’s accent wasn’t much different from that of people from Zhaoyang, she had the appearance of someone from Jiangnan.” As she continued, Lian Hongling glanced at Long Jue.

The two exchanged a very brief glance, and Yin Quan pursed her lips, not in a hurry to speak.

“Master, I feel that woman looks somewhat familiar…” Lian Hongling said, a thoughtful expression appearing on her naturally alluring face.

After hearing this, Yin Quan got up and slowly walked to the window.

Lian Hongling felt the face looked familiar...

Could they be from one of the four great mountain villas?

Recalling the interaction between her and Long Jue just now, she was almost certain that the person who had entered and exited the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion a few days ago must have come from one of the Four Great Villas.

However... the relationships involved are quite complicated, and she can't figure them out for the time being.

The most pressing matter is figuring out how to get through tomorrow's seven-hour-long wedding ceremony...

Thinking this, Yin Quan rubbed his forehead and then turned around and said, "Let's put these people and things aside for now. With Xiahou Ying here, I have nothing to worry about."

Standing in the doorway, separated by the tightly sealed door, Xiahou Ying's thoughts stirred slightly.

With him around, she had nothing to worry about...

Wei Jun pursed his lips as he watched his master suddenly stop.

The master who is usually so aloof and unapproachable has actually revealed such an expression... Master, you are sinking, you are sinking...

Just as he was thinking this, Xiahou Ying suddenly withdrew his long, slender fingers that had been reaching for the brass plum-shaped door knocker, and then turned around without saying a word.

Startled by the sight, Wei Jun quickly followed, and only when they were almost at the corner of the corridor did he cautiously ask, "Master, why didn't you go in just now?"

"It is considered unlucky to see the bride the day before the wedding."

Xiahou Ying answered slowly and deliberately, striding forward as he spoke. A soft, clear light, visible to the naked eye, shrouded his brows, like warm smoke from pearls and jade, almost dazzling to the eye.

Upon hearing this, Wei Jun's lips twitched, but he didn't waste a moment and followed closely behind.

Inside the room, looking down at the words Long Jue had written in her palm, Yin Quan slowly closed her fingers, feeling a warmth in her palm.

Xiahou Ying was actually at the door just now...

If that's the case, how much of the conversation inside the room did he overhear?

Is it all, or... just the last sentence?

She wasn't trying to be wary of him; it's just that she needed to have enough leverage to protect herself so as not to become a burden to him.

Wearing fluorescent, snow-white brocade boots, Xiahou Ying walked on the dark blue-green corridor floor tiles, down an extremely unfamiliar and heavily guarded narrow path.

After passing through one stone gate after another, he finally stopped in front of a stone gate with a Pixiu door knocker embedded in it.

With a slight twitch of his brow, he walked in with his hands behind his back, and at the same time, two men in green came to greet him.

"Did you confess?"

"Reporting to Master, this madam is stubborn. She only revealed the Tinghai Tower, and nothing more," one of the men in green replied.

"Give me a satisfactory result before midnight." Xiahou Ying's voice was cold and sharp, his expressionless lips moving as if he were a bloodthirsty demon from hell, devoid of any warmth.