Chapter 127: What is the Background of This Woman?

Xiao Youlan's voice was kept low, soft and gentle, bordering on acting spoiled.

The noble, high-and-mighty Crown Prince was actually acting spoiled.

As if possessed by a ghost, Nan Xueyin nodded her head.

Xiao Youlan was in high spirits, "Let's go."

"……Mm."

Xiao Youlan turned and walked inside.

Nan Xueyin felt a bit of regret halfway there, feeling that she shouldn't have agreed to this in the first place.

However, the arrow was already on the string and had to be fired; she could only steel herself and walk inside.

The hall was noisy, and as soon as Xiao Youlan appeared, he attracted many gazes, and those complex discussions grew quieter and quieter.

Noticing Xiao Youlan, it was hard not to notice Nan Xueyin by his side.

At this moment, Zisu had just finished accepting the errand assigned by Yan Zhirong, and as she turned around, she saw the Crown Prince leading a woman inside.

The Crown Prince had a faint, elusive smile on his lips, and every two steps, he would glance at the woman beside him, which was enough to show that the Crown Prince valued her extremely highly.

Yet the woman's expression was very cold, as if she were still intentionally or unintentionally trying to keep some distance from the Crown Prince……

Zisu stared blankly, recalling the words she had just spoken so confidently, and felt her face burn with shame.

She dared not look at Yan Zhirong's expression and hurriedly lowered her head and walked out.

Everyone else in the hall also looked toward the two of them.

"That woman…… is she one of the Crown Prince's people?"

"It seems it is true that the Crown Prince has a woman he likes by his side now, and he always brings her with him."

"She is so beautiful; it is rare to see such evenly matched beauty!"

Yan Zhirong could not help but glance at the person who spoke.

Yes, evenly matched; that term was used well.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, Yan Zhirong heard a sound.

She looked in that direction and saw Prince Xiao Mingyu, who had just become betrothed to her.

He had originally been chatting and laughing with guests, holding a wine cup in his left hand; at this moment, he looked toward the Crown Prince's direction, and the wine cup in his hand suddenly cracked, leaving shards and wine all over his hand, dripping onto the floor.

A servant nearby hurriedly went up to clean it up for him.

A guest asked with concern, "Prince, are you alright?"

Only then did Xiao Mingyu withdraw his gaze from the Crown Prince and Nan Xueyin, forcing a smile, "It's nothing, the craftsmanship of this cup is poor, it broke all of a sudden."

Yan Zhirong watched from the side, but a sudden chill welled up in her heart, accompanied by a very bad premonition——

A woman's intuition told her that Xiao Mingyu's action was not aimed at the Crown Prince, but because of that woman.

Now, Yan Zhirong pinned her hopes on Zisu.

She had to know what the background of this woman really was!

From the entrance to the Crown Prince's exclusive seat, the distance was not long.

In just these few dozen steps, Nan Xueyin felt as if she had walked for several hundred years.

Finally reaching the seat, she sat down quickly.

Many people were still looking over here; Nan Xueyin felt irritable and frowned.

"Are you uncomfortable?"

Xiao Youlan asked in a low voice.

Nan Xueyin gave a hum.

Xiao Youlan asked again, "Did something happen in the past?"

Nan Xueyin paused, then gave another hum.

That year, she must have been thirteen.

Having trained for over two years, not yet three, Nan Xueyin followed Xiao Mingyu to a banquet for the first time in the capacity of a Guard.

Most of the people there were men, and Wu Zhui suggested that Nan Xueyin wear men's clothing and try not to speak.

Nan Xueyin agreed and did exactly that.

She followed behind Xiao Mingyu, keeping as silent as possible, her face tense, wanting to make herself look colder and more imposing.

Although gazes would fall upon her from time to time, she acted as if she hadn't noticed.

It wasn't until the wine had gone around three times that a drunken middle-aged man came over with a wine cup to exchange pleasantries with Xiao Mingyu.

While speaking, his gaze kept drifting toward Nan Xueyin.

That look was very greasy, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Nan Xueyin felt uncomfortable, but she endured it without showing it.

After talking for a while, the middle-aged man's tone shifted, and he pointed at Nan Xueyin, "Where did the Prince get this servant boy?"

Xiao Mingyu replied, "Not a servant boy, she is my Guard."

The middle-aged man suddenly realized, "Oh my, I don't have such a good Guard by my side."

He pushed the wine cup forward again and asked with a smirk, "Little Guard, do you know how to drink?"

Xiao Mingyu stood up and pressed his hand down, "My lord is drunk."

"Not drunk! Not drunk! It's you, this little Guard, you are truly beautiful!"

He pushed Xiao Mingyu aside, lunged over, and grabbed Nan Xueyin's hand, asking her with a slobbering smile, "What is your name? How old are you? Where are you from? What do you like to eat?"

Thirteen-year-old Nan Xueyin was at a loss and subconsciously looked at Xiao Mingyu.

The middle-aged man put his arm around her shoulder, "Your Prince wants me to help him, do you want to help your Prince? Hmm? Drink a few cups with me, and I will agree to your Prince."

Xiao Mingyu frowned and said nothing.

Nan Xueyin took a deep breath, "Really?"

It would have been better if she hadn't spoken; as soon as she did, her voice was unmistakably that of a young girl.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man became even more interested, "Really! Really! As long as you accompany me for a drink, I will agree to anything your Prince asks!"

He then chuckled and said, "However, we must go upstairs to drink..."

At that time, Nan Xueyin did not know what it meant to go upstairs to drink, but Xiao Mingyu's expression became very ugly.

Just as the middle-aged man was coaxing and deceiving Nan Xueyin to take her upstairs, Xiao Mingyu suddenly reached out, grabbed Nan Xueyin by the wrist, and forcefully pulled her behind him.

"Prince Duan! What is the meaning of this?" The middle-aged man was clearly displeased.

"She cannot," Xiao Mingyu said simply, pulling Nan Xueyin away.

Nan Xueyin still tried to persuade him, "Prince, it is just a few cups of wine, and he will agree to you; I can drink..."

Xiao Mingyu's footsteps did not pause for a single moment.

Once they were out the door, he finally let go of Nan Xueyin.

With a gloomy face, he warned her, "From now on, you will be a Hidden Guard; do not show your face in public again!"

Later, as Nan Xueyin gradually grew up, she understood why that middle-aged man had wanted to take her upstairs.

She also gradually understood that among the many gazes directed at her, many carried malice.

If not for her martial arts skills, she would likely have been swallowed alive by this cruel world long ago.

Nan Xueyin spoke concisely, recounting this matter to Xiao Youlan.

Xiao Youlan's brows were tightly furrowed.

After a long while, he said, "I know who that man is."

Nan Xueyin was a beat slow, realizing he was talking about that drunken middle-aged man.

"He is currently serving in Fengdu and has been corrupt and taking bribes behind the scenes all along. It is not that I did not know, and I have even collected the evidence, but I had not yet had the chance to act," Xiao Youlan said, rubbing his fingers, his tone slightly cold, "It seems he will not live to see next month."