Chapter 102: Storybooks Are Not Entirely True

Because of this little interlude, breakfast was eaten quite late today.

Xiao Youlan examined the hairstyle Linglang had styled for Nan Xueyin and had to admit, it was indeed much better than the ones he styled.

Nan Xueyin did not even glance at him once, focusing intently on eating.

Xiao Youlan felt guilty inside and took the initiative to pick up some breakfast and place it in her bowl.

She did not seem particularly angry; she basically ate everything he placed there.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Ninth Princess of Loulan Kingdom requests an audience."

An attendant entered to report.

Nan Xueyin heard this and wondered why the Ninth Princess had come running to the Eastern Palace.

"The people and the leopard she found attacked me at Baoci Palace and also caused you to be injured, so naturally, she must come to the Eastern Palace to plead guilty. Loulan Kingdom must pay tribute to the Ye Dynasty every year; she cannot afford to offend me. If this matter is not handled well, she will certainly be punished after she returns." Xiao Youlan roughly knew what she was pondering and took the initiative to explain.

Nan Xueyin nodded, swallowed the chewed porridge in her mouth, and said, "Then let her in."

"Very well."

Xiao Youlan instructed the attendant, "Listen to Miss Nan."

The attendant acknowledged the order and left.

Nan Xueyin cast a glance at Xiao Youlan, "It would be fine if you didn't want to see her; what do you mean by 'listen to me'?"

It made it seem as if she were a person of the Eastern Palace.

Xiao Youlan smiled and picked up another chopstick-full for her, "The attack at yesterday's birthday banquet was a bit strange; of course, I will see the Ninth Princess to probe the truth. However, if I were handling it, I would certainly leave her waiting for a while longer, waiting until breakfast was finished before granting an audience."

Nan Xueyin paused.

Being suspicious of the unusual movements at the birthday banquet was Xiao Youlan being cautious.

Leaving the Ninth Princess out in the cold to be received later was a manifestation of the Crown Prince's noble status.

She did not speak again, but could not help thinking that if she had not assumed the identity of Doukou to enter the Eastern Palace, perhaps she would never have had the chance to see the Crown Prince in this lifetime.

Xiao Youlan did not guess these thoughts of hers and continued to diligently pick food for her.

When the Ninth Princess of Loulan Kingdom, Sang Yue, entered, she happened to see this scene.

She remembered this woman; at the birthday banquet, it was she who pulled the Crown Prince away in time to protect him, and even when pinned under the crazed leopard, she remained unscathed.

These things were enough to surprise her.

What surprised her even more was that this woman was actually eating breakfast on equal footing with the Crown Prince of the Ye Dynasty, and the Crown Prince was even picking food for her and waiting on her.

Who... exactly was she?

Harboring such thoughts, Sang Yue lowered her head and asked for peace respectfully: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness be blessed with ten thousand fortunes."

Xiao Youlan raised his eyes and asked, "Ninth Princess, what is the reason for your visit to the Eastern Palace?"

Sang Yue's tone became even more humble, "At the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet yesterday, I had originally brought that black leopard to wish the Empress Dowager a long life. Who would have thought that the black leopard would suddenly go mad and attack Your Highness the Crown Prince. I deserve to die ten thousand times over; it is thanks to the mercy of the Emperor and Your Highness that my life was spared. However, I tossed and turned in bed all night, and still wanted to come and sincerely plead guilty to Your Highness."

This did not exceed Xiao Youlan's expectations.

He looked at her with cold eyes, "The incident of the black leopard going mad yesterday was indeed too disruptive, and I am also curious: where exactly did you find the animal tamer and the black leopard?"

Sang Yue replied, "In reply to Your Highness the Crown Prince, I had originally brought a tiger from Loulan Kingdom, but that tiger could not withstand the fatigue of the journey and died. Unable to complete the performance, we inquired within Fengjing City and bought a new leopard. The animal tamer also had a father who was said to be very bad to her, and she was desperate to escape. It just so happened that I bought her and the leopard."

Xiao Youlan asked, "Since they were a father and daughter pair, I imagine they must have had many wild beasts under their hands; why did you choose this leopard?"

Because it was very obvious that this black leopard looked emotionally unstable and would go mad at any moment.

Since it was to wish the Empress Dowager a long life, one should not have chosen such a wild beast.

Sang Yue stiffened, and a look of panic flashed across her face.

It was only for a fleeting moment, but Xiao Youlan still noticed it.

"That leopard... was recommended by the animal tamer Jiang Lian'er; as for why, I am not very clear. After all, she is a professional animal tamer, so when she suggested I buy this black leopard, I naturally did not suspect anything." Sang Yue explained it this way.

Xiao Youlan was noncommittal about this.

After the Crown Prince said he would not blame Sang Yue, let alone implicate Loulan Kingdom, Sang Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief and left after offering a thousand thanks.

Nan Xueyin finally finished eating, put down her chopsticks, and commented coldly: "When something happens, she pushes all the blame onto Jiang Lian'er alone."

She had seen many such things at the Duan Prince Mansion.

Like Jiang Lian'er, who had no status or background and was not a long-term maid or attendant, once an incident occurred, she would naturally be pushed out to be the scapegoat.

Xiao Youlan nodded: "Indeed."

Nan Xueyin looked sideways and asked: "How are you going to investigate further?"

The birthday banquet was coming to an end, and all the envoys, including those from Loulan Kingdom, were about to leave Fengdu.

If it was not investigated clearly in time, this matter would likely become an unsolved case, or Jiang Lian'er, a weak woman, would truly bear all the blame.

Xiao Youlan's tone was calm, "No rush."

He looked at her with a smile again: "I remember someone saying that the affairs of the Eastern Palace have nothing to do with her?"

Nan Xueyin was stunned and stood up without saying a word.

"Little Snow."

Xiao Youlan was still smiling as he called out to her.

Nan Xueyin frowned, her tone very unfriendly: "What is it now?"

Xiao Youlan said gently: "Wu Zhui is better; I have specially permitted you to see him today."

Nan Xueyin was stunned again.

Suddenly, she felt regret; she shouldn't have spoken so fiercely just now.

Xiao Youlan was as good as his word; after breakfast, he specifically arranged for Feihong to lead Nan Xueyin to see Wu Zhui.

On the way, Feihong tentatively asked Nan Xueyin, "Miss Nan, Miss Jiang went to your door to show off today; were you angry? Is that why you deliberately kept the Crown Prince in the room for so long?"

Nan Xueyin looked at him in confusion: "She came to show off? Wasn't she sincerely explaining?"

Feihong let out an "Ah?"

"Also, it wasn't that I intentionally kept your Crown Prince in the room for so long; it was he who insisted on combing my hair, and he combed it so poorly that it wasted a lot of time. Don't always be so clever, blaming everything on us women, assuming as a matter of course that we women are very jealous and troublesome."

Feihong was choked for a long while and could not speak.

It seems that storybooks are not entirely true...

On the other side.

Xiao Youlan was in the study.

A new day, new endless government affairs to handle.

But Xiao Youlan had already lived through such busy days for many years; he was already sufficiently accustomed to it.

There was still quite a bit of ink left from last night that he had used until the early hours, so he continued to use it.

Having just finished reading a portion, someone entered from outside the door.

Xiao Youlan did not even lift his eyelids, "Did I not say, when I am busy, you are not to enter without reporting."

"Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince..."

A familiar, shy voice came through.

Xiao Youlan recognized this as Jiang Lian'er's voice, and he looked up.

He still could not remember Jiang Lian'er's face, and only asked coldly, "You have come here, what is the matter?"

Jiang Lian'er gently bit the corner of her lip and untied her waistband.