Chapter 182: Grooming the Crown Prince into This State

Jiang Lian'er was stunned, two blushes instantly flying onto her cheeks.

Wu Zhui, standing to the side, was also dumbfounded.

You really do help when there's a need.

But isn't this help a bit too simple and crude!

Jiang Lian'er was incredibly shy, "I... Miss Nan, are you thirsty? I'll go pour you a cup of water."

Nan Xueyin:?

Jiang Lian'er realized belatedly and hurriedly corrected herself: "No, no, I mean, are you hungry, do you want to eat some water and drink some rice."

A faint, elusive smile appeared at the corners of Nan Xueyin's mouth.

Jiang Lian'er's face instantly flushed red, her expression as if she were screaming: How could I say such strange and bizarre things aaaaaah!

Not waiting for Nan Xueyin to say whether it was good or not, she turned and walked away; from Nan Xueyin's angle, the young girl was even walking with her same-side arm and leg moving together.

Once her back was no longer visible, Nan Xueyin turned to Wu Zhui.

Unsurprisingly, Wu Zhui was also looking at her intently, his eyes filled with soft affection.

Nan Xueyin said softly, "You don't need my help, she is quite infatuated with you too."

Wu Zhui was taken aback and turned his head: "Really?"

Nan Xueyin nodded: "Incoherent, it's hard for it not to be true."

Wu Zhui began to giggle foolishly.

Nan Xueyin asked again: "When do you plan to propose to her? Are you still short on the bride price? The gold and silver you painstakingly saved up at the Duan Prince Mansion wasn't much to begin with, and you didn't even bring it over. Do you want me to sponsor you a bit? Consider it a wedding gift in advance."

Wu Zhui shook his head: "No need to borrow from you. I've been working at the Eastern Palace recently, and the compensation the Crown Prince gives me is very generous. I eat and live here, so I don't have any expenses; I've saved all of it."

He looked amused, "Do you know, the total compensation I received for working at the Duan Prince Mansion for so many years doesn't even compare to what I've earned in these few months at the Eastern Palace."

Nan Xueyin twitched the corner of her mouth.

Wu Zhui said sincerely: "Having worked at the Duan Prince Mansion is the shame of my life."

Nan Xueyin thought to herself, having liked Xiao Mingyu is also the shame of my life.

"By the way, what did you encounter before? Why did you come back at this time? After returning, do you have any plans?" Wu Zhui expressed deep concern, "While you were away, many things happened in the court. The Emperor's health hasn't been good, but he has never backed down, sternly warning the Crown Prince that he cannot take an Assassin as his wife."

He looked at Nan Xueyin with great sympathy.

Nan Xueyin smiled: "But I am not an Assassin."

"The Emperor has already investigated the matter of the Duan Prince sending you to the Eastern Palace..."

Nan Xueyin was puzzled: "The one the Duan Prince sent was the Assassin Nan Xueyin; what does that have to do with me, the niece of the Qingzhou Chief Clerk, Nan Xueyin?"

Wu Zhui: "Huh?"

Before he could press for more, a servant from not far away walked over quickly and said respectfully: "Miss Nan. Officer Wu."

Nan Xueyin asked him: "Has the Crown Prince finished discussing matters?"

The servant replied: "Finished, the Crown Prince would like Miss Nan to come over."

Nan Xueyin's expression became grave: "Is there something he needs me to do?"

The servant: "The Crown Prince said it is getting late and Miss Nan must be hungry, so he would like you to come over for dinner together."

Nan Xueyin:...

Should I say that this is worthy of Xiao Youlan?

Nan Xueyin glanced at Wu Zhui, who smiled: "I'll eat with Uncle Jiang and Lian'er in a moment."

Nan Xueyin raised an eyebrow, "Lian'er, calling her so affectionately."

Wu Zhui couldn't help but blush.

"I'm off." Nan Xueyin didn't tease him further, waved her hand, and led Xiaoyang away.

In the front hall, the meal was already set, and Xiao Youlan and Nan Jiyun were waiting.

Nan Jiyun's eyes were visibly red and swollen; it seemed he had cried hard in the study, while Xiao Youlan was as calm and steady as ever.

Seeing Nan Xueyin, he finally revealed a smile: "Little Snow."

Nan Jiyun looked up and was very happy to see Nan Xueyin, but when he saw the black panther following closely behind her, his face turned pale again.

Nan Xueyin explained: "Uncle, this is Xiaoyang."

"Xiaoyang, this is Uncle."

Xiaoyang took a step forward, and Nan Jiyun's muscles tensed uncontrollably until Xiaoyang proactively rubbed against the back of his hand instead of biting his arm off.

Nan Jiyun was stunned for a moment, but Xiaoyang had already walked back to Nan Xueyin's side.

Only the back of his hand remained, lingering with a soft and delicate sensation.

He was, after all, not as nervous and afraid as before.

"Let's eat."

At Xiao Youlan's invitation, Nan Xueyin sat down.

Nan Jiyun felt it was inappropriate, "Your Highness, this subordinate truly does not dare..."

Xiao Youlan smiled: "You are Little Snow's uncle, which makes you my uncle. This is the Eastern Palace; there is no need to be constrained by those empty formalities. Sit."

Nan Jiyun sat down tremblingly.

Then, he watched helplessly as Xiao Youlan across from him focused on picking food for Nan Xueyin to eat.

He picked more of what Nan Xueyin liked.

For some things Nan Xueyin didn't like, she only took two bites and left the rest in the bowl, so he proactively picked up the food and put it into his own mouth.

Nan Jiyun was dumbfounded.

Wasn't it said that the Crown Prince was a golden branch and jade leaf, incomparably noble?

Who can tell me why he is picking food for a woman and even pouring her water?

For a moment, he wondered if his niece knew some kind of magical sorcery, otherwise how could she have turned the Crown Prince into this?

"Your Highness."

Feihong came in from outside.

Xiao Youlan did not even lift his eyelids, "What is it?"

Feihong replied, "It is the Emperor who sent word over..."

Upon hearing it was the Yongzheng Emperor, Nan Jiyun hurriedly stopped the chopsticks in his hand.

But opposite him, Nan Xueyin and Xiao Youlan continued to eat.

Feihong continued, "The Emperor says he is feeling unwell and would like the Crown Prince to go over and join him for dinner."

Nan Jiyun was stunned and looked nervously at the Crown Prince.

The fact that the Emperor's health was poor was actually known throughout the imperial court and the public...

Everyone was guessing which son was more favored by the Emperor—the Crown Prince, the Duan Prince, or the Jing Prince—and it seemed now that the Crown Prince was indeed a cut above.

If father and son were to show affection at a time like this, wouldn't the position of heir apparent be even more secure?

But Xiao Youlan's reaction was very indifferent, "I won't go. I have already eaten."

Nan Jiyun's eyes widened as he heard this.

Feihong did not seem surprised; he acknowledged the order and went out.

Xiao Youlan finally picked up a piece of food for Nan Xueyin and looked at Nan Jiyun, "Uncle, there is no need to worry. When the Emperor asks me to eat, I usually agree once every five or six times."

Nan Jiyun did not know what to say for a long time.

Nan Xueyin finished eating, put down her chopsticks, and looked up, "I heard you and the Emperor had a very tense falling out before?"

Xiao Youlan gave a hum, "After he had people seize you, I had a huge argument with him. Later, I took the initiative to admit my fault to him; on the surface, it looks like we have reconciled, but in reality, we have not."

Nan Jiyun really wanted to cover his ears; was this really something he was allowed to hear!

"How did the Emperor get sick?" Nan Xueyin asked again.

"When people reach a certain age, they always get worse day by day. Even if he is the Son of Heaven, it is still the same," Xiao Youlan said in a flat, narrative tone.

Nan Xueyin did not say she believed it, nor did she say she doubted it. In any case, the Emperor was sick, so there was no need to worry about the reason.

After dinner, the three sat together drinking tea and incidentally chatted about the matter of Xiao Mingyu causing the deaths of Nan Xueyin's parents and neighbors.

Xiao Youlan first looked at Nan Xueyin, "In the past, I did not know he had done such excessive things to you."

Nan Xueyin held her teacup, "I didn't know either. Otherwise, I should have found an opportunity to kill him with one strike long ago."

Nan Jiyun was shocked inside.

Xiao Youlan frowned.

Nan Jiyun felt uneasy; could it be that the Crown Prince did not like hearing this? Had his niece offended him?

Soon, Xiao Youlan said, "Don't dirty your hands."

Nan Jiyun:...

At this moment, Xiao Youlan looked at him again, "In the past, I collected quite a bit of evidence regarding Xiao Mingyu's corruption, but it did not involve this matter. Fortunately, there is Uncle, who collected the evidence very completely."

Nan Jiyun was momentarily flattered, "It is nothing! Doing all this was for my elder brother and sister-in-law..."

Caught off guard, Feihong walked in quickly from outside, his face deathly pale.

"Your Highness! Something has happened!"