The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Wei Wuji smiled slightly, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "I originally thought the Crown Prince was a dissolute young man indulging in sensual pleasures, but I never expected him to be such a hidden hero. Capturing Han Xiu and seizing military power—these actions, with their ruthless methods and meticulous planning, are truly remarkable. In the future, when the new emperor ascends the throne, he will surely give the Crown Prince a great deal of responsibility; his future is limitless."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan gave a bitter smile and said humbly, "You flatter me, Right Minister. I was forced to do this by circumstances."

Wei Wuji seemed to see through Xiao Jinyan's thoughts, and changed the subject, saying, "I heard that the young master acted swiftly a few days ago and shut down the once-famous Mianyue Tower. Is that true?"

His tone carried a hint of curiosity and a desire to explore.

Xiao Jinyan nodded, his expression complicated: "That's right. That slut Yang Rong dared to seduce a man and make me a cuckold. In a fit of anger, I shut down Mianyue Tower as a small lesson for her."

Wei Wuji's eyes held a hint of amusement as he slowly asked, "Oh? Young Master, where is Yang Rong now?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan's heart tightened. He thought to himself, why would Wei Wuji suddenly ask about Yang Rong? This old fox wouldn't be interested in this woman for no reason; he must have noticed something. Yang Rong is involved in too many secrets; she absolutely cannot fall into Wei Wuji's hands.

Then, Xiao Jinyan's lips curled into a cold smile, as if they were talking about nothing more than an insignificant plaything: "This Yang Rong is indeed a restless person. She is currently under house arrest in my mansion, and I vent my frustrations day and night to prevent this slut from stealing men again."

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji's eyes flashed with a strange light. He said with a half-smile, "Your Highness may not know, but Yang Rong also had a past entanglement with my good-for-nothing son, and even... she cuckolded him. Yet, even so, my son still can't forget her, and is lovesick day and night. If Your Highness has finished with Yang Rong, why not do me a favor and send her to my residence, so that my son can be relieved of his lovesickness? After all, a fickle person like Yang Rong would only cause Your Highness more trouble if she stayed by your side."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan was even more certain that Wei Wuji had discovered Yang Rong's secret; otherwise, he wouldn't have demanded her in this way. Therefore, she couldn't release her. Moreover, Yin Rui was still outside; she needed to be found as soon as possible, otherwise, if she fell into Wei Wuji's hands, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Xiao Jinyan's smile widened, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world: "Right Minister, you are mistaken. This Yang Rong is alluring to the bone, with a unique charm. At first, I thought it was just a fling, but I didn't expect to fall deeper and deeper, becoming more and more addicted. Now, she has become indispensable to me at night. Without her, my heart aches like a cat's claws, I can't sleep at night, and I have no appetite during the day. How could I easily let go of such a beauty?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji shook his head with feigned regret, but a sly glint flashed in his eyes: "Alas... Your Highness is mistaken. The finest things in the world should be shared with others to truly appreciate their value. Your Highness's stinginess is nothing short of a waste. Furthermore, we are both pillars of the court and should support each other and share the beauty of this world."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan's lips curled into a meaningful smile: "Since the Right Minister has said so, Jinyan will naturally share Yang Rong with Young Master Wei. However, as for Yang Rong... I still need to savor her more. We can discuss it again when I've had my fill of her, shall we?"

Wei Wuji's eyes flashed with a mixture of impatience and anticipation as he asked in a deep voice, "Then, Your Highness, when will you finally tire of Yang Rong?"

Xiao Jinyan smiled knowingly: "Right Minister, don't be in such a hurry. In another ten or eight years, when Yang Rong is no longer young and her beauty has faded, I will get tired of her. At that time, I will definitely hand her over to your esteemed residence so that Young Master Wei can have his wish fulfilled."

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji's expression changed slightly, and a flash of anger crossed his eyes, but he still forced himself to remain calm, a bitter smile appearing on his lips, clearly showing his dissatisfaction with Xiao Jinyan.

However, just as Wei Wuji was about to retort, Xiao Jinyan stepped forward, cupped his hands slightly, and said sarcastically, "Right Minister, Jinyan takes his leave."

Having said that, he turned and left, his clothes fluttering, leaving behind a lingering entanglement and scheming.

Before he could take two steps, Xiao Jinyan unexpectedly ran into Yu Jin, who had just finished court.

At this moment, Yu Jin's eyes were full of vigilance and ferocity, like a beast driven to the brink of despair, staring fiercely at Xiao Jinyan, his eyes seeming to say, "Pay back the money!"

However, Yu Jin originally planned that the Prince of Guangling would help him recover this debt after he ascended the throne. Unexpectedly, Xiao Jinyan made great contributions and became deeply entrenched, so it is probably impossible to get the money back.

Xiao Jinyan strode forward, his voice booming like a bell: "Father-in-law, how have you been!"

"Xiao Jinyan, what...what are you planning to do now?"

Yu Jin's voice trembled, full of wariness and vigilance.

Xiao Jinyan smiled, his tone slightly mocking: "Father-in-law, if I remember correctly, you used to be a favorite of the Crown Prince. What, have you changed your allegiance and sought a better position?"

This was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, drawing the attention of everyone around, sparking discussions and intense curiosity.

Upon hearing this, Yu Jin's expression changed drastically, his fear evident. He never expected that Xiao Jinyan would so openly expose his fragile facade in front of everyone. The whispers around him felt like sharp blades, cutting through his fragile psychological defenses.

Yu Jin looked around in terror, and could only let out a desperate cry, fleeing in utter disgrace and shame: "Xiao Jinyan, you are the Crown Prince's faction, your whole family are the Crown Prince's faction!"

Before the words were even finished, the person had already disappeared into the distance, leaving only a series of hurried footsteps echoing in the empty palace.

---------

At this very moment, on the streets of Jiankang, pedestrians hurried along the stone-paved road. In the gap between this hustle and bustle and the tranquility, a beggar quietly huddled in a street corner, her figure out of place in this prosperous city.

The beggar, dressed in rags, squatted on the cold ground. In front of her was a broken porcelain bowl with a few copper coins scattered in it. A tattered hat was deliberately pulled low and placed diagonally on her head, covering her oval face, which should have been pretty but looked dirty from not washing for many days.

She was slender and tall, and even in such disheveled attire, her long, beautiful legs could not be completely concealed. Her legs were faintly visible through the tattered clothes, like pearls carelessly left behind by fate. Her eyes were dull, as if endless suffering had worn away all their light, leaving only emptiness and indifference, as if the whole world had nothing to do with her.

This beggar was none other than Li Yuerui, the second most beautiful of the four beauties in the capital. Now, she had not eaten for three days, and hunger and despair were like invisible chains, tightly binding her body and mind.