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

Chapter 94 Too Enthusiastic

"This old minister takes his leave." Without exchanging pleasantries, Song Chen rose and headed outside, but suddenly stopped in front of the vermilion door. He leaned slightly to the side and whispered to Xiahou Ying as if sighing, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand. Your Highness, the people must come first in all things."

Having said that, he flicked the hem of his dark blue robe, stepped across the vermilion threshold, and strode across with a brisk pace.

Sitting there, watching Song Chen's tall, thin figure gradually disappear into the distance, Xiahou Ying pursed her lips and put down her teacup.

One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand...

He wasn't unaware of this principle, but often, circumstances dictate his actions...

During his absence from Zhaoyang, his father should not have let this opportunity slip by... but it seems that his father has only been testing the waters all along...

He was testing whether he would seize this opportunity to take power.

As he pondered this, Xiahou Ying suddenly understood.

He wasn't entirely uninterested, it's just... the time wasn't right.

Thinking of this, Xiahou Ying's eyes dimmed slightly, but quickly regained their original brilliance.

"Master, news from Cat's Eye has arrived that the whereabouts of the last surviving member of the Eastern Zhou royal family have been discovered."

After seeing Song Chen off, Wei Jun stepped into the front hall and reported in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Ying paused for a moment while stroking the rim of the teacup, then continued to slide his fingers back and forth.

“It’s Ni Tianze…” Wei Jun nodded respectfully and spoke in a deep voice.

Raising an eyebrow, a gloomy expression appeared on Xiahou Ying's usually expressionless and handsome face.

Ni Tianze...

Unlike before, Xiahou Ying now looked so chilling that it sent shivers down one's spine.

"Wei Jun." After a long silence, he suddenly spoke, his gaze cold and his voice deep. His slender fingers held the already cold cup lid and slid it down to the edge of the teacup.

"exist!"

"Do you think she's being too enthusiastic?"

“…” Wei Jun remained silent.

Is the master asking this because he's jealous?

Wei Jun, who was making this guess, suddenly felt a little conflicted.

No matter how he answered, it seemed somewhat inappropriate.

In fact, Miss Yin was indeed more warm-hearted than ordinary women, possessing the chivalrous spirit of a woman from the martial world. But if she didn't have this warmth, she probably wouldn't have won her master's heart…

Thinking of this, Wei Jun immediately pursed his lips and didn't continue thinking about it.

Seeing that he lowered his eyes and did not answer, Xiahou Ying did not press him further. He simply placed the teacup in his hand on the table beside him and then stood up.

How much does she know about the Book Burial Case?

"Your Highness, the Princess Consort is unaware of this at the moment."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Ying's eyes flickered slightly.

Noticing the subtle change in his expression, Wei Jun paused, then tentatively called out in a low voice, "Master?"

"The Burial Book Case is a major case involving the extermination of an entire clan. Isn't it strange that there's no wanted poster despite the absence of Ni Tianze?" Xiahou Ying said, his slender fingers brushing across his sharp, blade-like jawline. He glanced at Wei Jun, who immediately seemed to understand.

“If Ni Shixuan really did die willingly back then, then Ni Tianze’s identity must be somewhat special…” Xiahou Ying said after thinking for a moment, as if talking to himself.

"Ni Shixuan went to his death, probably to preserve a secret that must never be known to the world. This secret may be related to Ni Tianze."

He paused for a moment, then changed the subject, saying, "There's something I need you to do."

Lying flat on the tatami, Yin Quan was really bored.

If it were just a broken hand or foot bone, it wouldn't be a big deal, but with a broken rib, she can only lie flat and can't do anything else.

Just as he was feeling utterly bored, Lian Hongling pushed open the door and walked in.

"Come here quickly! Did you hear me?" Seeing that Lian Hongling had fastened the door bolt, Yin Quan turned to her and said urgently.

"The prince invited Imperial Censor Song Chen to his residence, but after a brief chat, he sent Song Chen away."

"Song Chen?"

“That’s right. Does Master think there’s a problem?” Lian Hongling frowned as she heard the question in Yin Quan’s tone.

“No, it’s normal for him to come to the Prince Duan’s residence… You said they were just chatting? Do you remember what they talked about?” Yin Quan’s brows were slightly furrowed. She looked at Lian Hongling as she spoke. The latter thought for a moment and then responded.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant dared not approach too closely, only overhearing some fragmented information, mostly concerning people's livelihood and governance. But there is one thing that has been on my mind."

"Tell me about it." Raising an eyebrow, Yin Quan's eyes flickered as she looked at Lian Hongling.

"This servant heard that the prince asked Lord Song if he had ever lost a daughter in Qinglu County."

"Daughter?" Yin Quan raised his voice slightly, and with a movement, he pulled on her broken ribs, causing her to grimace for a while.

"Master, don't move, let me help you up." Seeing her pained expression, Lian Hongling quickly bent down and carefully helped her up, placing two soft cushions behind her.

“Qinglu County…” Yin Quan muttered to himself, his brows furrowing even deeper than before.

There's so much going on in Qinglu County...

Could it be that the feng shui is bad?

After muttering this to herself for a while, she pouted and continued to ask, "Besides that, was anything else mentioned?"

After hearing this, Lian Hongling shook her head.

Seeing this, Yin Quan pursed her lips and stroked her sharp chin with her fingers.

This isn't the first time Song Chen has come to the mansion... Could it be that Xiahou Ying intends to win him over?

As her thoughts led her, she frowned.

Given his cold, hard-line personality, it would probably not be easy for him to win over an official like Song Chen who is concerned about the national welfare and people's livelihood.

Suddenly, at that moment, she remembered Gu Lounan, who often came uninvited...

With his personality, Xiahou Ying probably wouldn't even need to think about it; he'd just come running to her on his own.

Thinking of this, Gu Lounan's slightly tender gaze in his dark green eyes suddenly flashed into Yin Quan's mind, catching her off guard for a moment.

Seeing that she was slightly lost in thought, Lian Hongling moved her lips slightly, hesitated briefly, and then called out softly, "Master?"

Hearing this, she looked towards the naturally alluring face beside the bed and whispered, "After sending Lord Song away, did he still..."

"If there's anything you want to know, just ask me."

Before Yin Quan could finish speaking, Xiahou Ying's voice came directly from the doorway, causing Lian Hongling, who was sitting by the couch, to shudder.

“Your Highness…” With her eyes lowered, Lian Hongling stood up quickly and stepped aside as if she had been burned by fire.

"I asked her to eavesdrop." Raising her gaze to that figure as cold and aloof as spring snow, Yin Quan spoke calmly. After speaking, she turned her gaze away: "You can leave now. Close the door."

Upon hearing this, Lian Hongling immediately withdrew, her movements swift and decisive, without even making a sound.

Xiahou Ying glanced sideways at the rosewood door that had been closed from the outside, then looked down at Yin Quan, who was sitting by the bed, his thin, sharp red lips slowly parting.

"Father's life is not in danger."

"Are you angry?" Looking up at his expressionless, handsome face, Yin Quan raised an eyebrow and asked softly.

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Ying pursed his lips but did not respond.

"It's true that you're petty..." Pouting, Yin Quan withdrew her ingratiating gaze and turned her head away from him.

Seeing this, Xiahou Ying frowned slightly, but then his frown subsided.

"You just said that I can ask you anything I want to know?" After a brief silence, Yin Quan looked at Xiahou Ying, her dark eyes shining brightly, more dazzling and moving than the brightest star in the sky.

"I only said you were allowed to ask." Xiahou Ying responded calmly, his lips barely moving.

After he finished speaking, he sat down on the edge of the soft couch.

Seeing that his gaze was level with hers, Yin Quan pursed her lips, the words she had prepared in her heart stopped before she could finish speaking.

“Harina is still in Zhaoyang. Xiahou Jue did not send her to the Mongol tribe during the time I was away from the capital.”

Staring intently into her eyes, which were brighter and more dazzling than the stars, Xiahou Ying slowly moved his thin lips.

"Has your father regained consciousness?"

After hearing this, his eyes flickered slightly.

"He has regained consciousness, but he still needs to remain in bed for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Yin Quan opened her eyes wide.

Do I need to rest for a while longer...?

It seems that the rest is just a pretense, and the real purpose is to test the waters.

The case of the Crown Prince's coup has not yet been settled. With Emperor Tianxi's wisdom, how could he possibly make the same mistake again?

"Prince..."

"The Emperor has deposed Xiahou Jue from his position as Crown Prince, demoted him to a commoner, and exiled him to Anqing, never to return to the capital."

Before Yin Quan could finish speaking, Xiahou Ying subtly took over her words. His expression was calm, his gaze clear and cold. His dark eyes were as deep as the night sky, as if he were pondering something.

“At least, he’s still alive.” Stroking her chin, Yin Quan murmured, then looked at the white-clad man sitting before her, as noble and unapproachable as a snow-capped mountain deity. She pursed her lips, took his hand resting on the edge of the bed, and whispered, “Next time, I won’t have anyone eavesdrop…”

Suddenly, Xiahou Ying felt a slight tremor in his heart as she grasped his soft little hand, and he looked at her.

Her soft, smooth fingertips restlessly rubbed and scratched against the center of his palm, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily, as if directly teasing his heart, making him unbearably itchy.

"There will be a next time?" He suppressed the sudden surge of desire within him, raised an eyebrow, and looked at her.

"Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue." Yin Quan chuckled, revealing two tiger teeth, and tightened her grip on his hand slightly.

Seeing the radiant smile on her face, Xiahou Ying was momentarily lost in thought.

Her smile was like a snow lotus swaying in the wind amidst a snowy mountain plain, simple to the point of purity. It was an ultimate purity, surpassing even the most transparent and flawless crystal.

Like the clear blue sky after a rain on a vast grassland, just looking at it is refreshing and intoxicating.

He hadn't seen her smile like that in a long time.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, she frowned.

He's already shown such goodwill, what more does he want...?

Does that mean I have to give myself to him?

But didn't we already compensate him?

Tilting her head, Yin Quan began to seriously consider ways to please Xiahou Ying, but the latter didn't think that much about it at all.

He's a germaphobe...

But she's now unable to do physical labor...

He's a vegetarian...

……

After mentally reviewing Xiahou Ying's habits and preferences, Yin Quan's face immediately fell.

Sure enough, in her current state, she can't do anything.

Seeing her ever-changing, multifaceted expression, Xiahou Ying's eyes softened. He flipped his wrist, took her hand in his palm, and then kissed it deeply.

Startled by his sudden intimate gesture, Yin Quan parted her lips slightly, unable to think of what to say for a long time, and only made a strange "gurgling" sound from her throat.