Chapter 210: Gao Yang: The Pill

Damn, I slipped up.

Chen Yan thought inwardly, "That's not good."

I only wanted to find a smooth line to continue, and casually roast Princess Gao Yang.

I didn't expect to expose some unpleasant things.

Why does Princess Gao Yang have to climb trees?

Does that even need asking?

She doesn't actually like climbing trees; as a child she did it to avoid disaster, so she had to climb.

Now that she's married to Chen Yan and still climbs trees, it's obviously because he pursued her.

Chen Yan immediately cast a pleading glance at Empress Changsun.

But she acted as if she hadn't seen it, let out a light laugh, lifted her tea bowl, and elegantly sipped a mouthful of tea.

Just kidding, even if Princess Gao Yang claims she raised her, she's considered half a daughter.

You hit my daughter; I'm already being lenient, and you still expect me to help you?

"Why are you silent?" Li Shimin looked at Chen Yan with a half‑smile.

Chen Yan pondered briefly, then slowly drew from his bosom the item he always carried.

A Death-exemption Gold Medal.

"Can we make peace?"

Li Shimin's mouth twitched, his face turning dark.

He then sighed, pressed his fingers to his brow and said, "Can't the two of you let us worry less?"

"You're not kids anymore, why still act like children?"

"What does it look like, fighting day after day?"

Chen Yan, feeling aggrieved, said, "I didn't want this either; my father‑in‑law and I have known each other for years—don't you understand me?"

"I'm just a good kid!"

"Mainly, Zhao Tang can be really infuriating; a perfectly fine sentence from her somehow makes people angry."

"And her red phoenix eyes—anyone looks like a stall with a sign selling heads; how could I stand it?"

Li Shimin: "......"

Empress Changsun: "......"

Du Gou clenched his thigh tightly, forcing himself not to burst out laughing.

Indeed, he had wanted to say it for a long time.

Princess Gao Yang's red phoenix eyes truly have a reputation.

Although her gaze was perfectly normal and calm, Du Gou always felt Princess Gao Yang looked at him as if he were a stall with a sign selling heads.

Including when she looked at Chen Yan, no exception.

The previous few times he was beside Chen Yan and saw Princess Gao Yang, he clearly felt her eyes toward Chen Yan were gentle, yet whenever he looked, something always felt off.

Li Shimin and Empress Changsun were silent for a moment, then couldn't help laughing.

Chen Yan's assessment was still quite fair; even calling it a stall with a sign selling heads was already a positive spin.

If Princess Gao Yang stared expressionlessly at someone, it was as if she were saying, "Everyone here is trash."

"Hey, you think the same, right?" Chen Yan said as soon as he saw them laugh.

Li Shimin, hearing that, restrained his smile, set his face stern and said, "Regardless, she is your hair‑binding wife; can't you be more tolerant of her?"

"Tolerance…?" Chen Yan frowned, his expression turning odd, "How am I supposed to tolerate her?"

"All along she's been the one tolerating me."

?

The couple stared with question marks; Li Shimin, slightly displeased, said, "You're a grown man, yet you expect a woman to tolerate you—does that make sense?"

Chen Yan nodded silently.

"You… sigh, never mind, let's go to your house first; I haven't seen Xiao Sizi in ages."

Li Shimin had no way to deal with this kid; he also didn't want to meddle much in Chen Yan and Princess Gao Yang's relationship, so he said a couple of words and left it up to them whether to listen.

He seemed to understand that Chen Yan and Princess Gao Yang were not ordinary; normal people's thoughts and methods didn't work on them.

Empress Changsun signaled Li Junxian to settle the bill, then paid Liuzi's guide fee.

Soon, Liuzi left cheerfully, carrying fifty coins.

Watching his departing back, Chen Yan clicked his tongue, "So it's him; I didn't expect he'd actually take on the guide job."

"Not bad, a bit of initiative."

"How can one function without initiative?" Du Gou said, "After all, there's a younger sister to support; though only ten, he's already the head of the household."

"Well said, father‑in‑law, shall we go?"

"Guide."

"......"

"Xiang Lan, why hasn't Xiao Yanzi returned yet?"

In the Xianlingfu, Princess Gao Yang sat in Chen Yan's rocking chair, one hand supporting her chin, the other hand interlacing her fingers, idly speaking.

Xiang Lan gently fanned her by the side; hearing that, she said wordlessly, "Your Highness, you've asked me that twenty‑eight times today."

"Do you know, you now look just like a stone."

"A stone?" Princess Gao Yang was startled.

"Indeed," Xiang Lan nodded heavily, "a stone waiting for its husband."

Princess Gao Yang: "......"

"Nonsense, how could this Princess possibly be like a longing‑waiting stone?"

"This Princess is merely bored and wants Little Yan to return to keep this Princess company."

"Mm mm mm, the Princess is right." Xiang Lan, while placating Gao Yang, thought inwardly: "Sure enough, only Lord Bo understands the Princess."

"Even if the Princess were reduced to ash, her mouth would remain hard."

"Why do I feel you're thinking about something bad?" Gao Yang glared at her fiercely.

"How could that be, Princess?" Xiang Lan scoffed: "My loyalty to the Princess is as evident as the sun and moon, known to heaven and earth."

"Heh!" Gao Yang sneered: "Little Yan once said, those who constantly hang the words 'loyalty' on their lips are the most disloyal."

"After all, a truly loyal person doesn't rely on verbal emphasis to prove it, but uses concrete actions."

"Little Xiang, you're very suspicious."

Xiang Lan, bitterly, "Princess, I have escaped the palace with you and fought battles; don't you still doubt me?"

Gao Yang said meaningfully: "I believe you, but I trust Little Yan even more."

Xiang Lan: "......"

"Fine, fine, day after day Little Yan, Little Yan, you can have Little Yan serve you."

"Just see if he beats you, that's it."

"Lord Bo, you're back?" At that moment, a maid's voice from the main gate suddenly sounded.

Gao Yang was startled, quickly withdrew his hand propping his chin, pretended to lounge lazily on the chair, squinting slightly.

When the footsteps drew near, she said without looking up: "Yo, our County Magistrate still remembers to come back?"

"All day long no one is seen at home; those who know you are busy with official duties outside, those who don't think you are raising a fox concubine outside."

"When does this Princess need to make way?"

Chen Yan said nothing, his gaze at Gao Yang full of admiration.

"A warrior, indeed."

And the Xiang Lan next to Gao Yang was already dumbfounded.

Because she realized Lord Bo didn't return alone; two very familiar people were with him.

"My… I humbly… bow before His Majesty, Her Majesty!" Xiang Lan knelt trembling, silently mourning for the Princess.

Gao Yang, hearing Xiang Lan's words, was stunned for a moment, opened his eyes, and saw Li Shimin and Empress Changsun standing before the chair.

Li Shimin wore a blank expression, while Empress Changsun's face had turned completely dark.

"Zhao Tang, before you were married, did this palace teach you to be a wife in this way?"

"Look at yourself like that, and listen to your words—what does it seem like?"

Gao Yang swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty, feeling as if the heavens had collapsed.

He shifted his gaze slightly aside, only to see Chen Yan at that moment looking at her with a face of schadenfreude.

"Pill!"

"......"