Secretly Studying Under the Covers at Night!

Caught in a whirlwind of public opinion, Zhu Youning naturally had to find a way to escape it.

But resolving the matter was both difficult and simple. It mainly depended on what Emperor Zhu Wen thought.

If Zhu Wen didn't care, then Zhu Youning didn't need to care either. But if Zhu Wen had truly grown wary, Zhu Youning would have a hard time.

For now, though, Zhu Wen didn't seem to care much. He still spent every day reclining in the arms of beautiful women, galloping across the bed.

So at present, Zhu Youning had merely been caught in a storm of public opinion.

That was indeed the case.

If Zhu Youning truly wanted to possess a quarter of the Great Liang dynasty's territory, he couldn't avoid being criticized.

Of course, resolving this matter would also be easy. Zhu Youning could petition to divide Pinglu into several smaller fiefdoms and voluntarily reduce his territory.

But that wasn't the only way to solve it.

He could simply cover up the conflict.

Use a secondary conflict to cover up the main one.

He could throw out a bombshell and pull himself out of this storm of public opinion.

As for what that bombshell would be, Zhu Youning was still considering whether he should reveal it.

At that moment, a burly figure strode into the parlor, interrupting Zhu Youning's reverie.

Wu Yi strode in and said gravely, "Prince Jun sent someone with an invitation, asking the commander to attend a banquet at Prince Jun's Mansion tonight at the hour of the Rooster."

As the banquet hour drew near, Zhu Youning rode in a carriage to the residence of Prince Jun, Zhu Youzhen.

Lanterns were already glowing in Prince Jun's Mansion, and everything was dazzling.

Zhu Youzhen was a man who loved ease and luxury. He liked everything to be lavish and extravagant.

It was said that he had specially built a carriage as large as a house, pulled by dozens of fine horses and decorated inside with gold, silver, and jewels. He even rode in it on military campaigns.

He was so extravagant and self-indulgent even during wartime. No wonder Zhu Wen hadn't entrusted the elite Longxiang Army to Zhu Youzhen, but had given him the Tianxing Army instead.

Zhu Youzhen loved luxury, so Prince Jun's Mansion was a place of indulgence: small banquets every three days, grand banquets every five. Song and dance, fine wine, and a life of drunken revelry.

But that was probably just a facade.

It was true that Zhu Youzhen enjoyed luxury, but he wasn't a man who only knew how to indulge himself.

Dozens of beautiful, slender dancers performed in front of the main hall of Zhu Youzhen's mansion. Their dresses were even translucent, and their long sleeves fluttered as they sang and danced. Yet not one of them sat in Zhu Youzhen's arms. That alone was enough to show that he wasn't without ambition.

There was no denying that the dancers in Zhu Youzhen's mansion were of excellent quality. Even more captivating, they wore so little that their creamy skin dazzled the eye.

So Zhu Youning enjoyed the song and dance while dining with Zhu Youzhen.

Once they had eaten their fill and drunk their fill, Zhu Youzhen dismissed the attendants, as if he had something to say.

"Brother Ning, is there anything in particular you want?"

Zhu Youning spoke plainly. "What is Third Brother getting at?"

"It's easy to talk to a clever man." Zhu Youzhen chuckled. "In the Great Liang dynasty today, Eldest Brother is constantly running around on behalf of the Xuanming Cult, while Second Brother is a martial arts fanatic. So six or seven out of every ten censors and ministers in court are my people. Brother Ning, I hold court while you command the troops. If we join forces, wouldn't the Great Liang dynasty be ours for the taking?"

"What are you talking about, Third Brother?" Zhu Youning played dumb. "The Great Liang dynasty clearly belongs to His Majesty! As his subjects, all we need to do is help him shoulder his burdens."

"Don't play dumb when you know perfectly well what I mean!" Zhu Youzhen snapped. "Do you think I don't know what you're thinking?"

Zhu Youning sneered inwardly. You had all those censors impeach me, and now you expect me to join forces with you? Dream on!

Zhu Youning immediately decided to leave. "I have something to attend to, so I'll excuse myself. Third Brother, please continue enjoying the feast. Farewell."

That day, Zhu Youning had just returned to Prince An's Mansion after leaving court when he deliberately put on an angry expression.

Once back at the mansion, he went straight to his bedroom. Before long, Miaocheng Tian knocked and entered. "Your Highness, let me massage your shoulders."

"Mm."

Zhu Youning let Miaocheng Tian walk behind him, then deliberately said in an angry tone, "That Zhu Youzhen—he's enough to make me furious."

"Your Highness, please calm down." Miaocheng Tian asked with gentle concern, "May I ask what has angered Your Highness?"

"That Zhu Youzhen actually impeached me for raising a private army! The nerve!"

Zhu Youning sounded furious. After a moment, his anger seemed to subside a little. "Why am I telling you this? Never mind, Miao'er, go fetch some water. I want to bathe and change."

At Zhu Youzhen's banquet, Zhu Youning had drunk a little. Reeking of wine, he planned to bathe and wash away the smell.

Miaocheng Tian had no choice but to have someone bring in a large, oval wooden tub.

After taking off his clothes, Zhu Youning closed his eyes and soaked in the tub. Thick white steam rose from the water, leaving him relaxed from head to toe.

"Your Highness, if there's nothing else, this servant will take her leave."

Miaocheng Tian stood by herself, unsure what to do. She gave a curtsy and prepared to leave.

But Zhu Youning wasn't about to let her leave so easily.

Leaning back against the rim of the tub, Zhu Youning didn't even open his eyes as he said, "Miao'er, come in and help me bathe."

Miaocheng Tian froze in front of the tub for several seconds. Then she bit her lip and answered calmly, "Yes."

The soft rustle of clothes followed. Once she had shed everything, Miaocheng Tian quickly covered her chest and sat down, splashing a small wave of water into the tub.

Miaocheng Tian was alluring. Not only was her figure graceful, but her hands were delicate, too. Though steam billowed over the water, trying to hide anything with that little mist would only make it all the more obvious.

Besides, there was no need to hide anything now.

People had five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. At that moment, the greatest pleasure came from the four senses other than sight.

Two hours later.

Freshly bathed, Miaocheng Tian stared blankly at Zhu Youning's peaceful face as he slept on the bed. He was sleeping soundly, but she wasn't sleepy at all.

After what they'd just done, her whole body ached. How could she possibly fall asleep?

Of course, even if sleepiness came over her, Miaocheng Tian still wouldn't be able to sleep.

"Your Highness? Are you asleep?"

Miaocheng Tian looked at Zhu Youning's face and tested him with a question, but he didn't respond at all.

As she watched him, she couldn't help reaching out and gently laying a hand on his cheek.

To be honest, Zhu Youning wasn't ugly. On the contrary, he was quite handsome, with sword-shaped brows and bright, starry eyes, his bearing heroic and striking. For some reason, the longer Miaocheng Tian looked at him, the more pleasing she found him.

Why am I thinking this?

Miaocheng Tian suddenly jolted. Could going through something like that change a person's feelings?

Shaking her head, Miaocheng Tian softly asked again, "Your Highness, are you still awake?"

Zhu Youning still didn't answer. Only then did Miaocheng Tian quietly put on her clothes and slip out.

Once she reached a secluded spot, Miaocheng Tian summoned a carrier pigeon. She wrote down that Prince Jun and Prince An were at odds in court, then sent the message to Fengxiang.

Only then did Miaocheng Tian return to the room.

She looked at Zhu Youning, still fast asleep, and felt slightly relieved. At last, she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Yet while Miaocheng Tian slept soundly, Zhu Youning suddenly opened his eyes.

Zhu Youning believed in balancing work with rest. After his rest, it was time to work. And because Miaocheng Tian was by his side, he had to work in secret.

Zhu Youning planned to cultivate in secret, then play the fool to catch the tiger off guard.

For some reason, Zhu Youning suddenly thought of his previous life. Back then, there were always people who played all day without studying, then secretly studied under the covers at night.