Chapter 145: I Miss You Very Much

Xiao Youlan pondered for a long time.

Before he could answer, Wei Nian walked in quickly from outside the door, his expression exceptionally grave: "Your Highness, your subordinate has discovered something."

Xiao Youlan looked over: "What is it?"

"Prince Duan has been in constant correspondence with the Loulan Kingdom," Wei Nian said.

Xiao Youlan frowned.

Feihong was greatly shocked: "According to what you say, Lord Wei, the leopard attack during the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet previously, which seemed to be the work of the Loulan Kingdom princess, was actually instigated by someone else behind the scenes—could it be Prince Duan?"

Wei Nian replied: "There is no direct evidence to prove this matter, but such a possibility cannot be ruled out."

Feihong was very indignant: "This Prince Duan is truly vicious! In order to vie for the position of the Eastern Palace, he actually used a borrowed knife to kill, wanting to use such methods to harm His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Wei Nian added: "Yesterday, Prince Duan also entered the palace to see the Empress Dowager; it is unknown what it was for."

"Probably to bid farewell," Feihong said, "After all, he is leaving soon. It couldn't be to plot against our Crown Prince; the Empress Dowager dotes on our Highness, after all, and would never help Prince Duan."

"That is true." Wei Nian nodded; he could not think of any other possibilities for the time being.

He looked toward Xiao Youlan again: "But having said that, Your Highness, now that Prince Duan has married Miss Yan, if we just ignore it and let Prince Duan's power grow, I fear it will pose a great threat to you in the future! As for the current plan, why not take advantage of Prince Duan's journey back to Lianzhou..."

He did not finish his sentence, but everyone knew what he meant.

Feihong expressed his concern: "It is not as if we haven't assassinated Prince Duan before, but he has Wu Zhui by his side, as well as a formidable Assassin; none of our men have succeeded."

Wei Nian: "Wu Zhui, isn't he currently locked up in our Eastern Palace?"

Feihong was stunned, then slapped his forehead: "That's right!"

And he had even grown fat while in the Eastern Palace!

Yet Feihong was still uneasy: "But that Assassin..."

"Make the arrangements."

Xiao Youlan spoke abruptly.

Feihong and Wei Nian looked at him in unison.

Xiao Youlan said calmly: "There is no need to worry about that Assassin."

She will no longer protect Xiao Mingyu, because she is by my side now.

"Your Highness, Lord Jin from the Emperor's side has arrived."

An attendant reported from outside the door.

Xiao Youlan immediately ordered: "Invite him in."

"Yes."

Before long, Jin Fu, the favored personal attendant of the Yongzheng Emperor, arrived and bowed respectfully to Xiao Youlan: "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Xiao Youlan was also very courteous to him: "I wonder what brings Inner Official Jin here?"

Jin Fu smiled: "This humble one has come under the Emperor's decree."

"Please speak, Inner Official."

"The Emperor says that he is single-mindedly planning a good future for the Crown Prince, wanting Your Highness to sit firmly in the Eastern Palace so that there may be fewer difficulties when you ascend the throne as Emperor in the future; therefore, he wishes for Your Highness to marry a daughter of a high-ranking family, as that would count as an aid to the Crown Prince. It is just that Your Highness has forgotten that sincerity and true feelings are also very important."

Xiao Youlan was somewhat puzzled.

"Your Highness is of age now, and the path ahead must be walked by Your Highness alone. The Emperor says he has thought it over: if Your Highness truly likes that Miss Nan, then take her as a Side Consort, regardless of her background."

A Crown Princess Side Consort, though not as orthodox as the position of Crown Princess, was already sufficiently noble.

Among all the women in the world, whoever could become a Side Consort of the Eastern Palace would truly be enjoying a blessing cultivated over several lifetimes.

But for some reason, Xiao Youlan always had a very bad premonition.

He felt it was very strange that the Emperor had suddenly sent someone to say this.

"The message has been delivered; Your Highness, do you have anything you wish to say to the Emperor?" Jin Fu looked at him with a smile.

Xiao Youlan asked intuitively: "Why did Father Emperor suddenly send such a message?"

A trace of unnaturalness flashed across Jin Fu's face, but he quickly shook his head: "It is nothing, Your Highness, please rest assured."

Xiao Youlan's inner confusion deepened.

After Jin Fu left, Xiao Youlan frowned and said: "Changling, go and investigate what is going on with the Emperor."

Wei Nian replied: "Your subordinate has heard about this matter."

"What is it?"

"The Emperor is... not feeling well today."

Xiao Youlan narrowed his eyes.

So, because Father Emperor feels he does not have much time left, he wants to improve his relationship with him, the Crown Prince?

Nan Xueyin had not seen Xiao Youlan for several days in a row.

She ate all three meals alone, and Linglang would bring the food to her.

At first, Nan Xueyin did not think much of it, because she was very focused on practicing her calligraphy and writing; she felt that not seeing Xiao Youlan was fine, as he would not know what she was saying, and when the time came, she could give him a surprise.

But later, Nan Xueyin had already written a piece of calligraphy she was very fond of.

"To hold your hand and grow old with you."

If her father were still alive and saw what she had written, he would certainly praise it as well-written.

She felt that Xiao Youlan would like it.

Nan Xueyin carefully folded the calligraphy and went to the study to give it to Xiao Youlan.

Having not seen him for several days, she actually missed him very much.

While walking on the road, Nan Xueyin thought it over and decided that after they met, she would tell him: Xiao Youlan, I have discovered that I miss you very much.

If Xiao Youlan heard this, he would surely be very happy.

Perhaps he would not be angry anymore by then.

Seeing the study was already close at hand, she looked up and saw Xiao Youlan coming out of the study, accompanied by Feihong, Shu Yu, and several unfamiliar palace servants.

Nan Xueyin knew they were not from the Eastern Palace; they appeared to be from the Emperor's side.

The group crowded around Xiao Youlan, and for some unknown reason, they all seemed to be in a great hurry, heading straight outside.

Nan Xueyin frowned, quickened her pace, and asked, "Where are you going?"

Hearing her voice, Xiao Youlan glanced at her, but he kept walking outward without pausing.

A nearby attendant told Nan Xueyin, "The Emperor is ill, and he has summoned the Crown Prince to go and see him!"

So, the Emperor was ill.

No wonder Xiao Youlan was in such a rush to leave.

Yet, looking at Xiao Youlan's retreating figure, for a fleeting moment, Nan Xueyin felt as if he would never return.

Thus, she simply gathered her courage and shouted, "But Xiao Youlan, I miss you!"

Her voice echoed in the surroundings for a long time.

Suddenly, Xiao Youlan's footsteps came to a halt.

Nan Xueyin also stopped.

At this moment, there was still a distance between the two of them.

Feihong and Shu Yu were accustomed to Nan Xueyin's way of addressing the Crown Prince, and upon hearing "I miss you," they even exchanged a smile: she finally said it; the Crown Prince must be feeling ecstatic inside.

However, the palace servants nearby were hearing such blatant and disrespectful address for the first time, and they all frowned.

"Where did this bold woman come from, daring to call the Crown Prince by his given name!" Jin Fu reprimanded, stepping forward as if to teach Nan Xueyin a lesson.

"It is fine."

Xiao Youlan stopped him.

He stared fixedly at Nan Xueyin, his eyes shining with an incredible brightness.

Nan Xueyin felt inexplicably nervous, clutching the calligraphy she had written and hiding it behind her back again and again.

Just as Xiao Youlan was about to step toward her, Jin Fu whispered a reminder: "Your Highness, the Emperor's illness..."

Xiao Youlan had no choice but to desist.

He continued to look at Nan Xueyin, across the sunlight and the flowers and trees, his lips moving.

Nan Xueyin understood his lip-reading.

He said: I miss you too, wait for me to return.