The Cold King Demands Love and Pleasure

Halfway through the meal, Taigu Wang took Ge to the restroom.

Ge Jin was somewhat confused. He asked the King of Taigu, "Your Highness, you know that Cang You and Prince An have an unusual relationship, so why did you insist on leaving them alone together?"

The Ancient King suddenly stopped in his tracks. "How much do you know about Cang You?"

Ge Jin shook his head. "Although we meet often, I don't know him very well!"

"I feel the same way. Cang You has been serving me for four years now. Although he has made many great contributions during these four years, I always feel that he is not close to me enough. I always feel that he is distant from me and does not seem to be truly loyal to me."

Ge Jin speculated, "So Your Highness believes that there is still a connection between Cang You and Prince An, and that Cang You might even be a pawn that Prince An placed beside you?"

King Taigu glared at Ge Jin with exasperation, "Of course that's not what I meant! Ge Jin, you really are inferior to Cang You in this respect. Every time, I have to spell it out for you to understand what I mean!"

"Your Highness, please calm down. I am just a rough and uncultured man who only follows your orders!"

Upon hearing his declaration of loyalty, the King of Taigu's expression softened slightly. "I intend to take advantage of Min You'an's visit to Baiyue to create an absolute rift between Cang You and Min You'an, a rift strong enough to form an irreparable rift between them!"

Ge Jin quickly flattered, "Your Highness is brilliant. Is it enough to just let the two of them chat?"

The Ancient King gave a sinister sneer, "Of course not, I have other methods!"

At this moment, only Min You'an and Cang You remained in the side hall, and the atmosphere was so oppressively low that it was somewhat frightening.

Min You'an put down his chopsticks and looked directly at Cang You, "What brings you here today?"

Cang You said coldly, without even lifting his eyelids, "It's nothing, I just came to deliver an inkstone. Your Highness, open it and see, it's what you've always longed for!"

Min Youan ignored his words, "Why do you want to stay by his side? The Ancient King is not someone to be trifled with!"

Cang You smiled sadly, then looked up at Min You'an, "Because he's the only person you can't handle!"

How do you know I can't handle him?

Cang You gave a cold laugh, "Even the current emperor can't touch him, does Your Highness think you're qualified?"

Min Youan wasn't angry at his disobedience, but rather somewhat disappointed. "Is it worth it just for Mingshuang?"

“It’s worth it!” Cang You continued, “Perhaps in the prince’s eyes, it’s not worth giving up a promising future for a woman, but in my eyes, Ming Shuang is more important than a future. That’s the difference between you and me. The prince always thinks that women are neither good officials nor good generals! So you think women are not important!”

Min Youan picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it all in one gulp. "Are you trying to avenge Mingshuang?"

"Yes! Even if I can't kill you, Your Highness, aren't you afraid I'll still want your life? Don't forget, I'm the one who knows you best!" The hatred in his eyes was so intense!

Min Youan chuckled self-deprecatingly, "But do you really understand me?"

"What do you mean!"

Min Youan suddenly stood up, walked to his side, and said solemnly, "If one day, I and the Ancient King go to war..."

"Your Highness, what are you talking about?" King Taigu happened to return at this moment, interrupting their conversation.

Min Youan said indifferently, "I'll just chat with an old friend for a bit!"

King Taigu laughed heartily, "That's right, I had completely forgotten that Cang You was originally one of Your Highness's subordinates!"

What a slap in the face! This Taigu King is clearly trying to reopen Min Youan's wounds.

He steadied his anger, "He's your subordinate now!"

The King of Taigu straightened his chest and said, as if in a show of defiance, "It seems that I and Prince An are truly destined to meet!"

Min Youan thought to herself, "Fate? It's more like a tragic fate!"

Although he thought so, he said, "Your Highness is too kind! Let's continue eating!"

The "demonstration meal" was finally over. After Taigu Wang left, Xia Tongsheng noticed that Min Youan hadn't come out of the side hall for a long time. Thinking something had happened, she quickly went in to check and found Min Youan sitting on a stool with a desolate look on his face and a blank stare.

She asked cautiously, "Your Highness, are you alright?"

He was somewhat displeased. "How did you get in here?"

"Hmm, I came in to check since you hadn't come out yet! Hmm? What's in this box?" Xia Tongsheng noticed the exquisite box on the dining table and couldn't help but ask curiously.

Min Youan lowered his head, his eyes flickered slightly, and after a few seconds of stunned silence, he reached out and opened the box.

Xia Tongsheng tilted her head to look, then pouted, "Tch, I thought it was some kind of precious jade!"

Having lived in modern life for so long, Xia Tongsheng had always assumed that the exquisite box must contain a priceless jade, but to her surprise, it was just a black egg! She instantly lost interest.

However, Min Youan's reaction was exactly the opposite, somewhat surprised and delighted, "It's worth more than Baoyu!"

Xia Tongsheng turned her head to look at him, "Are you taking advantage of my ignorance? This inkstone looks like the Duan inkstone, which is the most famous of the four great inkstones. It is famous for its solid, smooth, delicate and tender stone. Grinding ink with a Duan inkstone is smooth and quick. The ink is fine and smooth, and it is easy to write with without damaging the brush. The color of the writing will not change for a long time. If the Duan inkstone is good, no matter if it is hot in summer or cold in winter, if you press your hand on the center of the inkstone, the center will be dark blue and dark green, and the moisture will not dry for a long time. Therefore, the ancients had the saying 'grinding ink with breath'."

Min Youan said with a hint of admiration, "You know quite a lot!"

Xia Tongsheng started to show off, "That's right, I am a lady from a respectable family after all. Although my handwriting is not very good, I still have the necessary literary cultivation!"

Min Youan's dark eyes flashed, and he spoke softly, "Since that's the case, you should have heard of 'Moyu'!"

"Ink language?"

Xia Tongsheng had heard that Moyu was the most valuable inkstone among Duan inkstones because it was carved by Xing Mo, a master inkstone carver of the time, after many years of work. He put the most effort into this inkstone, and it was also the last inkstone of his life, which can be called his final work. It was called Moyu by later generations, meaning the language of ink and the blood and sweat of Xing Mo.

He stared at the box, somewhat stunned. "This is the inkstone that I, Moyu, have always longed for!"

Xia Tongsheng hadn't expected this "black egg" to be so precious, that even Min Youan wanted to get it. This changed her opinion of it, and she took a few more glances at it. In order to get a closer look, she was about to take it out with her hand.

At this moment, Min Youan shouted, "Stop!"

She quickly withdrew her hand. "Oh my god, that scared me to death! What happened?!"

Min Youan's face was extremely gloomy. "Get out!"

"Ah!" Xia Tongsheng exclaimed in surprise.

He gritted his teeth, panting heavily, "Don't make me say it a second time!"

Although Xia Tongsheng was angry—why did she suddenly lose her temper?—she didn't dare argue with Min Youan in the current situation and could only leave awkwardly.

After Xia Tongsheng left, Min Youan looked at the Mo Yu in the box and suddenly burst into laughter, a wild yet somewhat desolate laugh.