224 The Emperor’s Intentions
Night descended slowly. The bustling Lan manor in the day quieted. Feng Yi Xuan and Lan You Nian washed up and laid on the large carved flower bed without saying a word. They silently laid there looking at one another, luxuriating in this feeling.
“Xuan?” Lan You Nian stroked Feng Yi Xuan’s handsome face, asking, “You’re not entering the Imperial Palace?” Before leaving, Emperor Feng Xuan had said this. Lan You Nian knew Feng Yi Xuan couldn’t be ordered around by others, but Lan You Nian still had to ask. No matter the result, Lan You Nian will always accompany by his side.
Feng Yi Xuan tightened his hold around Lan You Nian, “Don’t want to go. Want to hold you!”
It’s rare for Feng Yi Xuan to act spoiled and childish. Lan You Nian felt only in front of her will Feng Yi Xuan let everything go completely, just like how she was with Feng Yi Xuan. Only when they’re by each other’s side would they become different than with others.
“I’ll go with you?” Lan You Nian giggled. She didn’t know about the matter between Feng Yi Xuan and His Majesty Feng Xuan but it wasn’t difficult to take a rough guess. Since His Majesty wanted Feng Yi Xuan to go, Lan You Nian hoped Feng Yi Xuan will go, to give up for good. Lan You Nian needed Feng Yi Xuan to see through things.
Feng Yi Xuan chuckled. He knew Nian Nian was worried about him, worried that he’s upset because of what happened that day, but Nian Nian didn’t know, as long as Nian Nian was by his side, he wasn’t afraid of anything, nor would he be in a bad mood, because his heart was beating.
“Alright!” Feng Yi Xuan nodded. He wanted to listen to what his so called Imperial Father wanted to say. He wanted to see what the so called Imperial Father wanted to use what face to look at him, to see what this so called Imperial Farther will give what kind of explanation.
Feng Yi xuan picked up Lan You Nian’s clothes, tenderly helping her dress. Lan You Nian obediently sat there watching as Feng Yi Xuan went from busily putting on her clothes to the current proficiency. Lan You Nian sighed with feeling, “Xuan, you have made me accustomed to being a child!”
Wasn’t it a child? Helping her dress and do her hair, even, most of the time, he’d help her put on her shoes. Not even Lan Wu and Lan Qu would serve her to this extent. Lan You Nian really feared that one day she wouldn’t even know how to wear clothes, even requiring someone to feed her when eating.
“I like spoiling you like this! Besides, aren’t you still a child?” Feng Yi Xuan squat down, helping Lan You Nian put on a pair of tiny furball embroidered slippers that looked lovable and delicate, making Feng Yi Xuan feel that whichever part of Nian Nian all endeared her to him.
“That’s what you said!” Lan You Nian was like a koala bear as she hung on Feng Yi Xuan’s neck. Feng Yi Xuan very naturally held Lan You Nian in his arms. His posture was like holding a child, because compared to his tallness, Lan You Nian was much more delicate.
“When we’ve become old man and old woman, you still must spoil me like this!” Lan You Nian said coquettishly, gazing into Feng Yi Xuan’s eyes.
“Alright!” Feng Yi Xuan’s expression was soft, “Not only when we’re old, even in the next life, I will find you and pamper you much earlier!” Feng Yi Xuan’s greatest regret was that he wasn’t able to protect Nian Nian when she was small which allowed her to suffer so much bitterness. Therefore, in the next life, he must come to Nian Nian’s side as early as possible and pamper her from the very start, continuously…
“You said it !” Lan You Nian sat in the carriage with Feng Yi Xuan hurrying to the Imperial palace.
“I said it!” Feng Yi Xuan smiled in reply.
When Feng Yi Xuan was about to pull Lan You Nian into the Imperial Study, Lan You Nian glanced at Feng Yi Xuan, giving Feng Yi Xuan a comforting look. The two smiled and entered the imperial study. Eunuch Lu saw them and was about to announce them but was stopped by Lan You Nian.
When Feng Yi Xuan and Lan You Nian walked into the imperial study, they saw a most disatisfying scene. Emperor Feng Xuan sat there while Consort Tao stood beside him. The two gazed affectionately at one another, as if they contained thousands of emotions.
A cold smile hung on Feng Yi Xuan’s lips, his entire body’s aura was fierce like a cold wind pa.s.sing by, chilling people to the bone. This cold air brought the Emperor and Consort Tao to their senses. The two saw Feng Yi Xuan and Lan You Nian and recovered proper decorum.
“Beloved consort, you can return!” Emperor Feng Xuan gently pat Consort Tao’s shoulder. Consort Tao smiled charmingly, curtsied and left the Imperial Study, but Lan You Nian can clearly sense Consort Tao faintly eyeing her. That glance was filled with too much hatred.
“A’Xuan, you came!” Feng Xuan looked at his son and shot a glance at Lan You Nian, his meaning obvious: that is, he hoped Lan You Nian could leave, because what they were going to discuss was the palace’s secret. He didn’t want others to know, even if this person was his daughter-in-law.
“Say whatever you wish. If you’re not going to say anything, we’re leaving!” Feng Yi Xuan held Lan You Nian and sat down, saying impolitely. Chasing Nian Nian away? Hmph!
Feng Xuan knew his son’s meaning and especially knew this son spoiled this girl too much. If he really let Lan You Nian leave, this son will definitely leave too. This was why Feng Xuan didn’t leave this throne to his sixth son, because this sixth son was a man who’s willing to abandon the world for one person.
“Xuan’er, I know you don’t like Consort Tao, but Imperial father is old. Consort Tao is a sensible woman. Imperial Father hopes you won’t make trouble for Consort Tao. Look at how she looks like your Consort Mother…” Emperor Feng Xuan said a little tiredly.
“Enough!” Feng Yi Xuan broke off Emperor Feng Xuan’s words, “That woman looks like Consort Mother? Your eyes are still as terrible as usual, truly blind! You say you love Consort Mother, but how many wrongs have you done to Consort Mother? Yet now you find such a woman to replace Consort Mother? Feng Xuan, you are really disgusting!”
Feng Yi Xuan’s direct calling of his name didn’t make Feng Xuan angry but made his face turn pale. He couldn’t find any reason to refute. He can only painfully say, “This emperor really loves your Consort Mother. This emperor has wronged her, but Consort Tao…”
Feng Yi Xuan didn’t wait for Feng Xuan to finish before pulling Lan You Nian out of the Imperial Study. Before leaving, Feng Yi Xuan left a word, “If you really love Consort Mother, no one will be able to replace her!” If a woman who was similar in appearance can replace Consort Mother, it wasn’t love.
Meanwhile, in Consort Tao’s palace, it was brightly lit. Consort Tao sat on a seat in the palace hall, stroking her beautiful face, smiling a strange and sinister smile. Consort Tao looked at Feng Shao Chu who was sitting there, “Second w.a.n.gye, do you see his Majesty and fourth w.a.n.gye are starting to have animosity between them? This is a good opportunity for second w.a.n.gye to perform. Second w.a.n.gye can’t let this consort be disappointed!”
Feng Shao Chu looked at Consort Tao who exuded a seductive air, smirking flirtingly, “Consort Tao can rest a.s.sured. This prince won’t disappoint Consort Tao!” Ever since the palace coup, even though he jumped over this hurdle, Imperial Father no longer put him in an important position. The authority in his hands has also been emptied by Feng Xia Qi. He was now only a prince with an empty t.i.tle. He didn’t expect Consort Tao to find him and say she wanted to help him, and sure enough, this woman accomplished it!
“Naturally this consort believes in second prince. Otherwise, why would I find second prince to partner with?” Consort Tao giggled but deep within her eyes, it was filled with contempt for Feng Shao Chu.
“May I ask what Consort Tao wants?” Feng Shao Chu asked. This Consort Tao wouldn’t help him for no reason. In this world, who isn’t selfish?
“This consort wants Lan You Nian to wish for death!” Consort Tao’s eyes filled with so much hatred it surprised Feng Shao Chu. No matter how he looked at it, he found it impossible for Consort Tao and Lan You Nian to know each other, but Feng Shao Chu didn’t question it. After all, the enemy of his enemy was his friend, wasn’t it?
“Consort Tao can rest a.s.sured, whether it is Lan You Nian or Lan manor, once our wishes are achieved, Consort Tao can do what you wish with them!”
Feng Yi Xuan originally held Lan You Nian’s hand as they strolled in the imperial palace. Afterwards, he directly picked up Lan You Nian, using qinggong to fly in the imperial palace. Lan You Nian didn’t utter a sound. She didn’t know how to comfort Feng Yi Xuan, so she could only silently stay beside him.
Feng Yi Xuan carried Lan You Nian into a dark and deserted palace and stopped. Then, he carried Lan You Nian into the palace. Even though it seemed like no one has lived here for a long long time, the inside was still well taken care of.
Feng Yi Xuan carried Lan You Nian to a swing in the palace and sat down on the swing, looking at Nian Nian in his arms, “Hasn’t Nian Nian always been curious about my past?”
Lan You Nian nodded. In the past, she was indeed curious about Feng Yi Xuan’s past. Feng Yi Xuan’s temperament was too aloof and his eyes were a surprise for Lan You Nian. But seeing Feng Yi Xuan feeling heartache inside, Lan You Nian didn’t want to know anymore.
“Xuan, if you don’t wish to, you don’t have to, alright?” Lan You Nian hugged Feng Yi Xuan’s waist in comfort. She knew if she wanted to know, no matter how painful the past was, Feng Yi Xuan will tell her without concealment.
Feng Yi Xuan kissed Lan You Nian’s eyes, saying, “Actually, I’ve always wanted to tell you, only I haven’t found the right opportunity. Today I’l tell Nian Nian my past. Then, we won’t have any secrets between us!”
Lan You Nian remained silent as she encouragingly looked at Feng Yi Xuan. Whatever Feng Yi Xuan wanted to say, she will listen and be a good listener.
“Nian Nian, do you know where this is?” Feng Yi Xuan looked around at the clean but silent palace.
“This is Consort Mother’s palace? Where Xuan lived when you were little?” Lan You Nian asked.
Hearing Lan You Nian’s address of “Consort Mother”, Feng Yi Xuan felt his mood lighten and tapped Lan You Nian’s nose, “Nian Nian is so smart. This is Consort Mother’s palace before her pa.s.sing, as well as the most beautiful place in the imperial palace!”
Next, Lan You Nian listened to Feng Yi Xuan tell the story of the past…