The Crown Prince's Senior Attendant

Down to business. Watching the silky coquetry shimmering in her eyes, Xu Yuan grew slightly wary. Though this breast-bound princess acted and spoke every bit like a wicked woman, in truth he had never even managed to touch a single hair on her. For her to say such words now... Wait. *This princess?* Warm breath brushed against his cheek. Gazing at her face, only inches away, Xu Yuan's eyes suddenly narrowed. A jolt went through him. His gaze reflexively darted toward their surroundings, but at the last moment he suppressed the impulse. His expression remained unchanged as he lifted her chin with his fingertip. "Oh, you... Heh. We're both ancient spirits here, so drop the act." Li Qingyan leaned against the carriage's black dragon chassis, the curves of her waist and hips faintly discernible beneath her scarlet robes. Tilting her chin slightly, her red lips curved into a smile as she murmured softly, "Mmh... This princess isn't joking with you tonight, you know." "Haha." Xu Yuan took a clean step backward, rolled his eyes at her, and called loudly toward the driver sitting up front, "Mister Wang, let us be off." "..." His words were met with silence, save for the drifting flutter of snow. The black-robed man seated motionless on the driver's bench paid him no heed. Frowning slightly, Xu Yuan glanced toward the bench. Seeing him back away, a flicker of boredom crossed Li Qingyan's eyes. She straightened up and casually remarked, "Use a direct voice transmission. Your Black Scale Guard took the initiative to shut off his five senses." Xu Yuan was left speechless. *Well, isn't he tactful.* After a voice transmission, the figure cloaked in black robes swiftly stepped down from the carriage and bowed to the two of them. "Third Young Master. Your Highness Wuyuan." Xu Yuan looked at him with an appreciative glance and smiled. "Back to the manor." Hearing this, Mister Wang respectfully opened the carriage door. The array formations carved into the black dragon chassis activated at once, forming several translucent steps beneath the door. The Black Dragon Carriage was massive—a full zhang across—and the door hung more than half a meter off the ground. For an ultra-luxurious, fragrant carriage drawn by noble steeds, climbing in with a wide, awkward stride hardly suited the dignity of its passengers. Life, after all, required a sense of ritual. Stepping onto the stairs, Xu Yuan looked back and said softly, "Then I shall take my leave for the night..." "Wait a moment." Li Qingyan reached out to stop him, offering a soft laugh. "Changtian, accompany this princess to meet someone tonight." His steps halted. Xu Yuan turned back with a hint of confusion. He had no recollection of any important figure in Guangyang Prefecture known to both him and Li Qingyan. "Meet whom?" "My imperial brother's senior attendant." "..." Xu Yuan's brow furrowed. He reflexively glanced toward Li Zhaoyuan's estate a hundred zhang away, then asked in a low voice, "The Crown Prince?" "Who else could it be? Li Zhaoyuan?" "Why is he looking for you at a time like this?" "What do you think?" Li Qingyan exhaled a plume of white vapor into the silent, chilly autumn street, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Aside from trying to win this princess over, what else could it be?" Pausing for a breath, she cast a meaningful glance toward the estate. "It seems Second Brother's trip north has given Eldest Brother quite the sense of crisis." Noticing her look, Xu Yuan reflexively extended his spiritual vision, but found nothing. Yet in the next instant, a white-robed figure emerged amid the fluttering snowfall. A deep, magnetically resonant male voice quietly drifted over: "This journey north was approved by Eldest Brother's own hand. How could there be any talk of a crisis?" "..." Seeing who had arrived, Xu Yuan sighed inwardly. Though his spiritual vision was extraordinarily penetrating, its range was severely limited by his cultivation. Li Zhaoyuan stepped noiselessly through the snow, leaving a trail of footprints as he approached. His star-bright eyes fixed upon Li Qingyan, his tone as steady as a mountain. "Imperial Sister, you are injured..." "Nothing serious." Li Qingyan's cool, ice-like gaze swept over him, her lips curving faintly. "Any healing pills you might have, Second Brother, both this princess and Changtian possess as well. There is no need for you to trouble yourself." Li Zhaoyuan nodded gently, a tender smile surfacing on his face. "Mm... then your elder brother can set his mind at ease. Still, your wounds have yet to fully heal, and when you journey north again, you must put your health first." Li Qingyan stared at him, her voice neither warm nor cold. "Did you come here just to say this?" Li Zhaoyuan paid no mind to her tone, remaining calm and gentle. "I had just finished the meal you and Changtian prepared for me when I sensed your qi signature. Having not seen each other in so long, I came over to say hello." Li Qingyan nodded, offering no reply. The meaning was clear enough: *You've said your greeting. Why haven't you scrammed yet?* "..." Li Zhaoyuan let out a soft laugh and a sigh. He nodded to the two of them, turned around, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, said quietly, "Oh, right." With that, Li Zhaoyuan turned halfway back, his profile handsome and striking, a faint smile creeping into his tone. "The situation in the Northern Border is intricate and complex. Your elder brother might just become your comrade-in-arms this time." "..." Hearing that, Li Qingyan's brow furrowed at once. But Li Zhaoyuan's figure had already vanished, leaving only a puff of snow dust kicked up by a sudden gust of wind in the quiet street. A heavy silence fell. The runic lamps stretched the shadows of the three long across the ground. After a long while, Xu Yuan looked around. "He's gone?" Li Qingyan frowned slightly, a solemn look passing through her beautiful eyes. "Gone." Looking at her solemn expression, Xu Yuan chuckled. "What are you thinking about? Why so serious?" "..." Hearing his flippant tone, Li Qingyan glared back at the heartless fellow and let out a breath. "Didn't you understand? Li Zhaoyuan came over specifically to inform this princess that he might be taking command of military forces." Xu Yuan smiled and shook his head. "Might? You're mistaken, Qingyan." "Hm?" "With Li Zhaoyuan's temperament, would he ever speak of something unsubstantiated?" Xu Yuan continued to smile faintly, his eyes betraying neither joy nor anger. "Since he dared to come notify us, he is certain to obtain a share of military authority." He naturally understood Li Zhaoyuan's motive. A so-called comrade-in-arms was no hostage accompanying an army. Li Qingyan looked up at Xu Yuan, a touch of curiosity in her eyes. "Changtian, you seem to know something?" This wicked woman's reactions were as sharp as ever. Xu Yuan did not answer right away, glancing instead at the black-robed man standing off to the side. *Well, the older man is keeping to himself again.* Very tactful. Then again, it made sense. Those who gathered intelligence under Lou Ji understood best of all that curiosity was the quickest way to get oneself killed. Withdrawing his gaze, Xu Yuan pulled Li Qingyan up into the carriage. The interior still held the delicate fragrance of incense, accompanied by a faint, elusive hint of jasmine. The soft daybed sank beneath their weight. Meeting the gaze of the woman across from him, Xu Yuan unhurriedly produced a wine flagon and cups. Just as he was about to pour, she snatched them away. "What kind of hour is it to be drinking?" After meeting her gaze for a breath, Xu Yuan said half-jokingly, "What's the rush? It's still some distance to your military camp. If you don't let me drink, I might just suffer from memory loss." As he spoke, he flicked his fingers lightly, activating the high-grade Sound-Muffling Array and Soul-Warding Array inscribed within the carriage. The former blocked sound; the latter warded off wandering souls. Li Qingyan smiled faintly, lowered her eyes to pour him a cup, and slowly rose to sit beside him. "...Stop keeping me in suspense." As she spoke, she raised the wine cup toward his lips. Xu Yuan's eyebrow twitched. Parting his lips, he chuckled, "Personally served wine by Her Highness Wuyuan—how many in this world could ever enjoy such an honor?" The moment the words left his mouth— *Splash—* "..." Xu Yuan looked down at his brocade robe soaked through at the chest, then looked up at her. Their eyes met for a heartbeat, and Li Qingyan looked away. "This princess... has never done this before. I'm clumsy at it. With a few more tries..." "Enough." Xu Yuan took the cup from her hand, placed it on the small table, and leaned back against the daybed. "I don't actually know that much about it. Most likely, Li Zhaoyuan reached an understanding on certain matters with the sects tonight, which is why he had the confidence to make such a claim." Li Qingyan sat up straight, her jade-smooth back perfectly upright as she looked at the slouching man before her. "The sects... What does that have to do with him taking military power? Without the court's approval, that would be raising a private army. Slapping a charge of treason on him would be enough to have Li Zhaoyuan executed ten thousand times over." Xu Yuan froze, his expression turning rather peculiar. "That severe? Then my family's Black Scale Army..." "Is a private army." Li Qingyan categorized it in a single breath, but after a brief pause, she added with a mocking smirk, "Of course, it could also be called household retainers. "After all, even I don't know the exact size of your family's Black Scale Army." "..." *Right, the laws of Great Yan sure are flexible.* A small force was a treasonous private army; a massive one was just household retainers. Once the joke passed, a trace of gravity surfaced in Li Qingyan's clear, spring-like eyes. "However, your Prime Minister's Manor and Li Zhaoyuan are entirely different in nature. Princes who establish independent courts in the capital are forbidden from commanding troops." Because of a cautionary precedent. Six hundred years ago, Great Yan had suffered an armed coup attempted by a crown prince in the imperial capital who sought to eliminate his old man ahead of schedule. Ever since, princes granted their own courts in the capital were essentially forbidden from keeping 'household retainers.' Xu Yuan gave her an odd look and asked softly, "Isn't the Commander of the Imperial Guard in the Imperial Capital aligned with the Crown Prince's faction, though?" Li Qingyan cast him a sideways glance. "The Imperial Guard answers only to Imperial Father—or rather, only to the Emperor." Xu Yuan chuckled, not taking it seriously. "You're being a bit too absolute. After decades together, plus the merit of supporting the succession, anyone would choose—" "You're mistaken, Changtian." Li Qingyan interrupted him, brushing her loose hair behind her ear. "There are matters regarding the imperial family that I cannot disclose to you, but consider this: if the Imperial Guard truly answered to my eldest brother, why would he be going to such lengths to win my support? "The Imperial Guard permanently garrisons four garrison armies inside the Imperial Capital. If one truly wished to control the Imperial Capital, mobilizing the Imperial Guard directly would be far easier than relying on me." "..." Xu Yuan's thoughts suddenly froze, his brow knitting together. *Consider this...* Li Qingyan's words brought several unexamined possibilities rushing to the forefront of his mind. If the imperial succession proceeded smoothly and the Crown Prince ascended the throne as scheduled, all would be well. But if not... If the Commander of the Imperial Guard truly answered to the Crown Prince, a single order would set the hundred-odd thousand garrisoned Imperial Guards to seizing complete control of Di'an City. What could Li Zhaoyuan, the Second Prince, do then? Xu Yuan figured he might as well surrender on the spot. No matter what struggles he put up, he wouldn't be able to make a splash. Inside the carriage, incense smoke curled silently through the air. Li Qingyan picked up Xu Yuan's cup, poured herself some wine, and took a delicate sip with her red lips. "Understood it now?" Xu Yuan licked his lips and gave a low laugh. "I think I know why Li Zhaoyuan risked trying to kill you." If he were in Li Zhaoyuan's shoes, he would have done the same. Leaving her alive would truly rob him of any peaceful sleep. After all, Li Qingyan was the Crown Prince's full younger sister by the same mother. Once she took the Crown Prince's side, Li Zhaoyuan would have virtually no hope of turning the tables. Li Qingyan stared at him with a beaming smile. "Though Imperial Father and Eldest Brother likely believe Second Brother's target was me, and that you were merely collateral damage, Changtian, in truth he probably didn't see it that way." As a prince, Li Zhaoyuan would stop at nothing to claim the supreme throne. As a member of the imperial clan, Li Zhaoyuan also wanted the Chancellor's Manor to be left without an heir. Unsettled by her stare, Xu Yuan's mouth twitched. "Hey, you're not planning to murder your own husband, are you?" A contemplative look crossed Li Qingyan's eyes, and she did not reply. Xu Yuan let out a soft hiss. "Hey, are you serious?" "Mm..." Li Qingyan blinked, her smile blooming like a flower. "Considering your philandering nature, Changtian, it's not entirely out of the question..." With that, she casually handed the porcelain cup to him. Xu Yuan took it, poured a cup, drained it, and said with a calm smile, "It's not as though I haven't died before. When the time comes, how about leaving me an intact corpse?" Li Qingyan fell silent for a few breaths, her voice very soft. "Changtian, you don't really think I would..." "Right, Qingyan." Xu Yuan cut her off with a laugh. "Does Li Zhaoyuan seem unaware of the true relationship between you and your eldest brother?" "..." Seeing him brush past the topic, an almost imperceptible flicker passed through her eyes. In the silence, the fragrance of jasmine filled her nose, turning into a bitter, tight ripple within her heart. Yet it lasted only an instant. Returning to her usual composure, Li Qingyan did not linger on the previous subject. "He doesn't know. Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to kill me." Xu Yuan rubbed his chin, glanced in the direction the carriage was traveling, and asked with keen interest, "Qingyan, even if you were in the Northern Border, did the Crown Prince never think to contact you? And if I remember correctly, when he went on an envoy mission to the Barbarians two years ago, he stayed in Beifeng for quite a while. Did he never reach out to cultivate sibling affection?" "I believe I told you about this before." A trace of mockery appeared on Li Qingyan's face. "There were no letters, and in Beifeng he had no contact with me either. It was only when I returned to the capital for our betrothal that the Crown Prince began visiting me frequently." Xu Yuan sat up slightly and asked, "There must be a reason for that, right?" Though he had never met the Crown Prince, judging by the rumors, it seemed unlikely the man wouldn't plan ahead. With a full sister holding military power away from court, relying on the bond of sharing the same mother, he ought to have worked on earning some goodwill in advance. Yet the Crown Prince had waited until the very threshold of the succession struggle before scrambling to win her over at the eleventh hour... No matter how one looked at it, something was off. "A reason?" Li Qingyan tilted her head, her features sharp and lovely, her eyes smiling faintly. "Does it matter?" Looking at her expression, Xu Yuan was suddenly at a loss for words. At this point, whether the current Crown Prince had genuinely forgotten or the Emperor had meddled behind the scenes no longer mattered. Because the established fact was set in stone: Li Qingyan harbored no affection whatsoever for that eldest brother of hers. Thinking of this, Xu Yuan poured a cup of wine, handed it to her, and asked softly, "I roughly understand why the Crown Prince sent his senior attendant to meet you, but why did you want to bring me along?"