The Crown Prince's Great Companion

Serious business

Seeing the seductive allure in her eyes, Xu Yuan became slightly wary.

Although this princess with a bound bodice spoke and acted like a wicked woman, he didn't actually touch a hair on her head.

Now you're saying this.

etc,

This palace?

Her warm breath brushed against his cheek, Xu Yuan's gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked at her face so close to his.

Startled, her gaze instinctively wanted to dart around, but at the last moment, Xu Yuan suppressed an impulse, his expression unchanged, and gently lifted her chin with his fingertips:

"You... ha, you're a thousand-year-old demon, stop putting on an act here."

Li Qingyan pressed her body against the black dragon-shaped carriage behind her, the lines of her waist and hips faintly visible beneath her red robe. She slightly raised her chin, her red lips Wan'er, and let out a soft moan:

"Hmm, I wasn't joking with you tonight."

"Hehe."

Xu Yuan took a step back directly, glared at the woman, and said loudly to the coachman leading the horses:

"Mr. Wang, let's go."

"."

Silence fell, only the falling snowflakes drifted by.

The man in black, sitting idly on the platform, ignored Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan frowned slightly and subconsciously glanced at the carriage platform.

Seeing the other person leave, Li Qingyan's eyes flashed with boredom. He straightened up and casually reminded them:

"By transmitting your voice directly, your Black Scale Guard has voluntarily shut down his five senses."

Xu Yuan was speechless upon hearing this.

Well, she's quite sensible.

After transmitting his voice, Mr. Wang, his figure shrouded in a black robe, quickly got out of the car and bowed to the two of them.

"Third Young Master, His Highness Wu Yuan."

Xu Yuan glanced at the other person with approval in his eyes and smiled:

"Return to the residence."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Wang respectfully opened the car door for Xu Yuan. The array patterns engraved on the black dragon body immediately activated, and several semi-transparent steps formed at the car door.

The Black Dragon Carriage carriage was very large, about ten feet long, and the doors were more than half a meter off the ground.

The most luxurious luxury cars are straddled as passengers, because life needs a sense of ritual.

As his boots touched the steps, Xu Yuan turned back and said softly:

"Then I'll be leaving now tonight."

"Wait a moment."

Li Qingyan reached out and pulled him back, then said softly with a smile, "Changtian, why don't you accompany me to see someone tonight?"

Xu Yuan paused, looking back with a hint of confusion.

He did not recall that he and Li Qingyan had any important acquaintances in Guangyang Prefecture.

"Whom are you going to see?"

"My imperial brother's chief attendant."

"."

Xu Yuan frowned slightly upon hearing this, subconsciously glancing at Li Zhaoyuan's residence a hundred feet away, before asking in a low voice:

"The Crown Prince?"

"Otherwise, it could be Li Zhaoyuan?"

Why is he contacting you at this time?

What do you think?

Li Qingyan exhaled a puff of white mist on the quiet street of the cold autumn night, her eyes slightly narrowed. "What else could it be besides trying to win me over?"

He paused for a moment,

She suddenly glanced meaningfully into the mansion. "It seems that Second Brother's trip to the Northern Border has created quite a sense of crisis for the Emperor."

Xu Yuan noticed her gaze and instinctively peered out with his Spirit Sight, but found nothing.

But in the next instant, a figure in white appeared amidst the swirling snowflakes, and a deep, slightly magnetic male voice quietly drifted over:

"This trip to the north was personally approved by my elder brother, so how could there be any crisis?"

"."

Upon seeing the person who had arrived, Xu Yuan sighed inwardly.

Although his Spirit Sight has extremely strong penetrating power, its coverage is limited by his cultivation level.

Li Zhaoyuan walked silently through the snow, leaving a trail of footprints, and approached. His bright eyes were fixed on Li Qingyan, and his tone was as steady as a mountain:

"My dear sister, you're injured."

"The injuries are not serious."

Li Qingyan's icy gaze swept over them, a slight smile playing on her lips, "Second Brother, you have healing pills, and Changtian and I should have some too, so you don't need to trouble yourself."

Li Zhaoyuan nodded slightly, a gentle smile appearing on his face, and said:

"Well, then I can rest assured. However, my dear sister, your injuries have not yet healed. You must take care of your health when you travel north again."

Li Qingyan at him, her voice neither cold nor indifferent:

"You came here just to say this?"

Li Zhaoyuan didn't pay attention to Li Qingyan's tone, remaining calm and gentle:

"I sensed your Qi after I finished eating the meal that you and Changtian prepared for me, my dear sister. It's been a long time since I've seen you, so I came to say hello."

Li Qingyan nodded upon hearing this, but did not reply.

The meaning is obvious.

You've said your greetings, why aren't you leaving?

"."

Li Zhaoyuan chuckled softly, sighed, nodded to the two of them, then turned around. As if remembering something, he whispered:

Oh, right.

As he spoke, Li Zhaoyuan turned halfway around, his profile revealing a handsome and refined appearance, and his tone carried a hint of a smile:

"The situation in the Northern Border is complicated and complex. Perhaps I, your brother, can serve as your comrade-in-arms."

"."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingyan immediately frowned, but Li Zhaoyuan's figure had already disappeared, leaving only a few wisps of snow dust stirred up by the strong wind in the quiet streets and alleys.

Silence fell for a moment, and the Inscription Lamp cast long shadows of the three people.

After a while,

Xu Yuan looked around:

"They've left?"

Li Qingyan's delicate brows furrowed slightly, her beautiful eyes conveying a hint of seriousness.

"They're gone."

Looking at her serious expression, Xu Yuan chuckled and asked:

"What are you thinking about? Why are you so serious?"

"."

Hearing the other person's cheerful voice, Li Qingyan turned around and glared at this heartless fellow, then let out a breath:

"Don't you understand? Li Zhaoyuan came here specifically to inform me that he might be taking command of the military."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan smiled and shook his head:

"Maybe? Qingyan, you're wrong."

"Um?"

"Would Li Zhaoyuan, given his personality, say something vague and unrealistic?"

Xu Yuan smiled gently, his eyes revealing neither joy nor anger. "Since he dared to come and inform us, he must have obtained some military power."

He certainly understood the purpose of Li Zhaoyuan's trip.

The so-called comrades-in-arms were not hostages accompanying the army.

Li Qingyan looked up at Xu Yuan, her eyes filled with curiosity:

"Changtian, you seem to know something?"

This wicked woman reacted as quickly as ever.

However, Xu Yuan did not respond immediately, but glanced at the black-robed man standing to the side.

Well, this uncle's just isolating himself again.

Very self-aware.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Those who follow Lou Ji to gather intelligence are often the ones who know best that curiosity can get them killed at any time.

Withdrawing his gaze, Xu Yuan pulled Li Qingyan onto the carriage.

The car was still filled with the fragrance of jasmine, with a faint, lingering scent.

The soft couch sank in, Xu Yuan, meeting the woman's gaze, calmly took out a wine pot and cups, preparing to pour some wine, when she snatched them away:

When will you drink again?

After a moment of eye contact, Xu Yuan said, half-jokingly:

"What's the rush? It's still quite a distance to your military camp. If you don't let me drink, I might lose my memory."

As he spoke, he lightly raised a finger, directly activating the top-tier Sound-Blocking Array and soul-separating array engraved on the Black Dragon Carriage.

The former is to mute, the latter to ward off evil spirits.

Li Qingyan Wan'er, lowered her eyes to pour him a cup, and slowly got up to sit down beside him.

"Stop keeping me in suspense."

As she spoke, she gently raised her hand and brought the wine glass to his lips.

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow, then opened his lips and smiled:

"His Highness Wu Yuan personally poured the wine; how many people in the world are fortunate enough to enjoy such a treat?"

After saying that,

Splash--

"."

Xu Yuan glanced at the chest of his brocade robe, which was soaked with wine, then looked up at her.

After a brief moment of eye contact, Li Qingyan looked away.

"I've never done this before, so I'm not very skilled. Please try a few more times."

"That's enough."

Xu Yuan snatched the wine cup from her hand, placed it on the table, leaned back on the soft couch, and said:

"I don't know much about this matter either. It's highly likely that Li Zhaoyuan reached some agreements with the sect tonight, which is why he felt confident enough to say that."

Li Qingyan stood upright, sitting primly, looking at the man in front of her who was sitting so improperly:

"What does the sect have to do with him taking military power? Without the court's permission, that's just keeping a private army, a crime of treason that would be enough to kill Li Zhaoyuan ten thousand times over."

Xu Yuan was taken aback upon hearing this, his eyes showing a slightly strange expression:

"That serious? What about my Black Scale Army?"

"They are a private army."

Li Qingyan made a definitive judgment with a single sentence, but after a moment's pause, she added with a teasing smile:

"Of course, you could also call them guards or servants."

"After all, even I don't know the exact number of your Black Scale Army members."

"."

Well, the Great Yan Law are quite flexible.

A small force is considered a private army plotting rebellion; a large force is considered mere guards or servants.

After the joke,

A serious glint flashed in Li Qingyan's eyes, which were as clear as a pool of water.

"However, your Prime Minister's Mansion Li Zhaoyuan's. Princes who establish their own residences and military commands in the capital are not allowed to command troops."

Because of lessons learned from the past.

Six hundred years ago, the Great Yan Crown Prince a coup d'état in which the crown prince attempted to kill his own father. Since then, princes who established their own residences and territories were generally not allowed to have "household servants and guards".

Xu Yuan's expression turned strange upon hearing this, and he asked in a low voice:

"But isn't that commander of the Imperial Capital a member of the Crown Prince Faction?"

Li Qingyan glanced at him sideways:

"The Imperial Guards obey only the orders of the Emperor, no, they obey only the orders of the Emperor."

Xu Yuan chuckled lightly, unconcerned:

"You're being a bit too absolute. Decades of service, plus the merit of supporting the emperor—anyone would choose that."

"Changtian, you're wrong."

Li Qingyan interrupted him, brushing her long, loose hair behind her ear:

"There are some matters concerning our royal family that I cannot explain to you, but consider this: if the Imperial Guards were all under the command of my elder brother, why would he be trying so hard to gain my support?"

"The Imperial Guards are stationed in the four garrisons within the Capital City. If you want to control the Imperial Capital, it's much easier to mobilize the Imperial Guards directly than for me."

"."

Xu Yuan's thoughts suddenly paused, and his brows gradually furrowed.

Just imagine it.

Li Qingyan's words suddenly brought to mind some things that Xu Yuan hadn't thought about deeply before.

If the transfer of imperial power can proceed smoothly and the Crown Prince ascends the throne as scheduled, then everything will be fine.

But if not,

If the commander of the Imperial Guards truly obeyed the Crown Prince, a single order would allow the hundreds of thousands of Imperial Guards stationed there to take control of the Di'an City.

What can the second prince Li Zhaoyuan, do?

Xu Yuan felt that they could submit the application directly.

No matter how much effort is put in, it won't make a ripple.

The carriage was filled with the gentle fragrance of incense, and for a moment, all was silent.

Li Qingyan picked up Xu Yuan's wine glass, poured herself a glass, and took a small sip with her red lips:

"Have you figured it out?"

Xu Yuan licked his lips and chuckled softly:

"I think I know why Li Zhaoyuan risked his life to kill you."

If I were in Li Zhaoyuan's position, I would have killed him too.

If we don't kill them, I'll truly be unable to eat or sleep in peace.

After all, Li Qingyan is the Crown Prince's younger sister from the same mother. Once she sides with the Crown Prince, he will have almost no chance of turning the tables.

Li Qingyan stared at him with a beaming smile:

"Although Father and my eldest brother probably think that Second Brother assassinated me, and that you, Changtian, were just an afterthought, they probably don't actually think that way."

As a prince, Li Zhaoyuan would stop at nothing to ascend to the throne.

As a member of the royal family, Li Zhaoyuan also wanted the Prime Minister's Estate to have no successor.

Xu Yuan felt a little uncomfortable under the gaze, and with a slight twitch of his lips, he said:

"Hey, you're not thinking of murdering your husband, are you?"

Li Qingyan's eyes showed a thoughtful expression, and he did not answer.

Xu Yuan hissed softly:

"Hey, are you serious?"

"Um"

Li Qingyan blinked, her smile radiant, "Considering Changtian's fickle nature, it's not impossible."

After saying that, she casually handed him the porcelain cup.

Xu Yuan took the cup, drank it all, and said with a faint smile:

"It's not like I haven't died before. How about you leave me a whole corpse?"

Li Qingyan remained silent for a few moments, her voice very soft:

"Changtian, you don't really think I would..."

"Oh, right, Qingyan."

Xu Yuan interrupted her, smiling, "Li Zhaoyuan seems unaware of the relationship between you and your older brother?"

"."

Seeing that he skipped over the topic, a subtle flicker appeared in her eyes.

In silence,

The scent of jasmine wafted into her nostrils, stirring a bittersweet ripple in her heart.

But this was only for a moment.

Li Qingyan returned to normal and did not dwell on the previous topic.

"I don't know, otherwise he wouldn't want to kill me."

Xu Yuan stroked his chin, glanced in the direction the carriage was traveling, and asked with interest:

"Qingyan, even though you're in the Northern Border, hasn't the Crown Prince thought of contacting you? And I remember that when he was on a mission to the Barbarian Tribe two years ago, he stayed in Beifeng for so long, yet he didn't contact you to rekindle your sibling bond?"

"I remember telling you about this before."

Li Qingyan revealed a hint of sarcasm:

"There were no letters, and I had no contact with him in Beifeng. The Crown Prince only started to visit me frequently when I returned to the capital to get engaged to you."

Xu Yuan sat up slightly and asked:

There must be a reason for this, right?

Although I have never met the Crown Prince, judging from the rumors, it is unlikely that he would not have taken precautions.

Having a younger sister who holds military power outside the home, one should at least try to gain her favor beforehand, given their shared motherhood.

As a result, the Crown Prince only came to seek help at the last minute when the deadline for the struggle for the throne was approaching.

This just doesn't make sense.

"Reason?"

Li Qingyan tilted her head, her features delicate and beautiful, her eyes smiling, "Does it matter?"

Xu Yuan looked at her expression and suddenly fell silent.

At this point, it no longer matters whether the Crown Prince truly forgot or whether the Emperor himself interfered.

Because the established facts have already been determined,

Li Qingyan had no feelings for her Crown Prince brother, the Crown Prince.

Thinking of this,

Xu Yuan poured her a glass of wine, handed it to her, and asked softly:

"I think I know why the Crown Prince sent his chief attendant to see you, but why did you bring me with you?"