Chapter 60: You Will Run Away

Feihong and Linglang were both shocked.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, your body is precious, how can you let it be harmed!"

"Miss, quickly... quickly let go!"

Nan Xueyin did not care about what was precious or not; she bit down hard on the side of Xiao Youlan's palm.

She did not bite very hard, but it was not light either, and her teeth left marks pressed into his hand.

She deliberately raised her eyes to look at Xiao Youlan, expecting to see a frustrated or pained expression on him.

But there was none at all.

Xiao Youlan stood there, lowering his eyes to look at her, his expression calm and gentle, carrying a trace of doting amusement.

Nan Xueyin suddenly felt it was very dull.

"Are you happier now?" Xiao Youlan asked softly.

Nan Xueyin knitted her brows, gnawed hard one last time, and then let go.

She wiped the corner of her mouth and said, "Not happy."

Xiao Youlan looked at the clear tooth marks on his hand, then looked at her and asked, "Then what can I do to make you a little happier?"

Nan Xueyin said word by word: "Let me go."

Xiao Youlan ignored these three words directly and said, "I have heard news of Wu Zhui's whereabouts."

Upon hearing this, Nan Xueyin was instantly interested and asked, "Where?"

Her reaction to the name Wu Zhui was too direct, which made Xiao Youlan feel slightly displeased inside, so he said, "In the area of Chunping Ward, someone saw him appear; right now, my men are conducting a search in Chunping Ward."

Nan Xueyin frowned.

Chunping Ward—there were none of Xiao Mingyu's forces there, so why would Wu Zhui run there?

"Eat lunch first," Xiao Youlan said, "After you finish eating, perhaps we will have found where he is."

Nan Xueyin pondered for a moment and nodded.

After finishing lunch, Nan Xueyin did not rush back to her room, and for once, she stared at Xiao Youlan without blinking.

"What is it?" Xiao Youlan raised an eyebrow.

"Where are you going next, and what are you going to do?"

Xiao Youlan answered truthfully: "Go to the study to read."

Nan Xueyin replied readily, "I'll go with you."

Since it concerned Wu Zhui, she wanted to keep an eye on things herself to prevent any mishaps.

It was likely the first time Xiao Youlan had seen her so proactive, and he was clearly stunned for a moment, with some surging joy in the depths of his eyes; but he quickly realized this was because of another man, and his gaze sank imperceptibly.

On the surface, he did not show too much emotion, "Alright."

Stepping into the study, Nan Xueyin remembered that almost every time she had come here before, she would habitually go to the bookshelf to take an ink stick and focus on grinding a full inkstone of ink for Xiao Youlan.

He would read and handle affairs until very late every day, and that ink would always be used up completely, never wasted.

But today, Nan Xueyin would not grind ink for him again.

Xiao Youlan instructed Feihong to bring over a rosewood chair, placing it not far from the chair he usually sat in, while he himself went to get the ink stick.

"You sit first."

Nan Xueyin felt that the rosewood chair was far too close to Xiao Youlan, so she picked up the chair with one hand, moved it a distance away, and only then sat down.

When Xiao Youlan returned, he noticed this detail; he did not mind much and began to grind the ink first.

He ground it unhurriedly, his slender, distinct fingers gripping the ink stick, circling on the inkstone, revealing an indescribable aesthetic.

Nan Xueyin lounged on the rosewood chair, resting her chin on one hand, watching in boredom.

"Your Highness."

Someone entered from outside the door.

In the moment Xiao Youlan looked up, his right sleeve slipped down, and it looked as if it were about to brush against the inkstone.

Nan Xueyin's body leaned forward uncontrollably, and she reached out her hand.

By the time she realized what she was doing, she had already grabbed Xiao Youlan's sleeve tightly.

Even she was stunned for a moment.

Xiao Youlan lowered his eyes, his voice containing clear amusement, "Thank you."

Nan Xueyin frowned, her tone returning to its unfriendly state, "Be careful yourself."

After saying this, she let go of him and sat back down on the rosewood chair.

Xiao Youlan rolled his sleeve back up, in a rare good mood.

Wei Nian had entered the study originally to report that they had already gotten Wu Zhui out of the Yan Family and locked him in the basement of a gambling den.

However, seeing the woman in front of the desk, and then seeing that trace of gentle amusement on the Crown Prince's lips, Wei Nian's heart suddenly sank to the very bottom.

"Found Wu Zhui?" Xiao Youlan raised his eyes to ask.

If it were an ordinary person, they might be confused or ask a follow-up question.

But this was Wei Nian, Grand Secretary of the Eastern Palace Secretariat; he understood many things in an instant, and after a brief pause, he answered naturally: "Found him. That Wu Zhui was in the area of Chunping Ward and was locked inside Baoli Pavilion."

Xiao Youlan asked: "What kind of place is Baoli Pavilion?"

Wei Nian thought to himself, this is the largest gambling den supported by our Eastern Palace, which is to say, it is your property and your territory.

He said aloud: "Baoli Pavilion is a gambling den, and it can be called the largest gambling den in Fengdu. High-ranking officials and nobles often come and go there, and it is also the place where interests are most intertwined. The forces behind Baoli Pavilion are deeply rooted and complex; it is impossible to find out exactly who is manipulating it in a short time."

Xiao Youlan asked again: "The Eastern Palace cannot take action to save the person?"

Wei Nian replied: "The Eastern Palace can take action, but if we do it in the name of Your Highness the Crown Prince, I fear it will alert the enemy. By the time we enter Baoli Pavilion to demand the person, Wu Zhui will have already been moved away."

Xiao Youlan gave an "en" sound, seemingly lost in thought.

Wei Nian glanced at the woman on the side and suggested: "Your Highness the Crown Prince might as well send people to infiltrate Baoli Pavilion with ordinary identities; perhaps it will yield twice the result with half the effort."

Where Nan Xueyin could not see, Xiao Youlan gave Wei Nian an approving look.

He said, "I will make the arrangements; you may return first."

Wei Nian acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Xiao Youlan set down his ink stick, sat in his chair, and said, "You heard the conversation just now. Later, I will send a suitable person to infiltrate Baoli Pavilion and save them."

Nan Xueyin spoke up: "I will go."

Xiao Youlan shook his head: "You cannot go."

Nan Xueyin was dissatisfied: "Why?"

Xiao Youlan looked at her deeply, "You will run away."

Nan Xueyin:...

Her first reaction was indeed to save Wu Zhui and escape together, fleeing back to Lianzhou.

But she would never admit it, and she retorted stubbornly: "Stop trying to guess my thoughts."

Knitting her brows, she glared at him, "What will it take for you to believe I won't run away?"

Xiao Youlan smiled: "I will go with you."

He added, "I heard from Imperial Physician Sun that your injuries have not fully healed; today, I will bring a few Hidden Guards along."

Nan Xueyin was now under someone else's roof and had to bow her head; she gritted her teeth and finally agreed.

Seeing that she had consented, Xiao Youlan's smile deepened, "Now, drink your medicine first."

Nan Xueyin looked up and saw Linglang had finished brewing the medicine and was bringing it over.

On the tray, besides a bowl of dark brown medicinal liquid, there was also a small dish of candied fruit.

"If the young lady finds the medicine too bitter, you may eat a few. This was ordered by the Crown Prince," Linglang said softly.

Nan Xueyin felt it was an unnecessary gesture.

She took the medicine bowl with one hand, blew on it twice, and drank it all in one breath.

She set down the medicine bowl, not feeling it was very bitter, wiped the corner of her mouth, and turned to look at Xiao Youlan, "Can we go now?"