Chapter 383: The Handsome Superintendent Flirts Ferociously 06

Jin Chen was extremely tired, yawned, and opened his eyes.

"What's there to be curious about? You're attending in front of the hall; the father emperor will also bestow rewards."

"I originally thought Your Highness would be very interested in that dragon-pattern jade pendant." Xuan Che deliberately emphasized the word "dragon-pattern."

Jin Chen's breath hitched for a moment; he really didn't want to keep dealing with the probing, so he pulled the person into his embrace, half rose, and blew out the candle.

"I'm very sleepy, going to sleep."

Seeing him like that, Xuan Che also lost the desire to keep talking, curled up under the blanket, his phoenix eyes slightly unfocused as he gazed at the carriage roof.

He thought he would be very uncomfortable sharing a bed with someone, but facing this person beside him, he repeatedly lowered his standards.

He shifted slightly, and Xuan Che stared at Jin Chen for a long time, finally revealing a somewhat dangerous smile.

After all, he was still interested; he hoped this person appearing as a "variable" would bring him and Jin State a different sense of novelty.

Xuan Che closed his phoenix eyes, emptied his mind to rest, and the two could be considered to be sleeping in each other's arms.

Thereafter the journey went smoothly, with no more sudden bandits showing up to cause trouble.

They ate and lodged together; occasionally they still had to deal with Xuan Che's occasional probing, and Jin Chen felt every day that his acting skills were worthy of a golden statue.

In the blink of an eye several days passed, and the escort convoy finally reached the capital city.

As they were about to stop before the imperial palace, Jin Chen inexplicably felt a surge of nervousness.

【Host! The moment to verify your acting has arrived!】

How to properly express one's surprise without angering one's wife is truly a difficult skill.

The carriage arrived beneath the city walls amid Jin Chen's considerable tension.

Many officials and guards had been ordered to welcome them opposite, awaiting only their disembarkation.

Jin Chen lifted the curtain and began his performance.

"Why did the father emperor send so many people to greet me?"

His tone clearly showed his confusion as he turned his gaze to Xuan Che's subtle expression, asking, "Do you know?"

He glanced at the officials outside the carriage; Xuan Che's eyes turned slightly cold, but his face showed nothing, and he gave an obedient smile.

"Your Highness, if you go out and see, you'll know."

"What you say is also true."

Jin Chen lifted the carriage curtain first, jumped down, and then reached inside.

Thus everyone saw what they considered the most horrifying scene.

Behold, the Superintendent, who dislikes any bodily contact with others, actually sat in the same carriage as the Third Prince, Your Highness!

They even held hands!

The Superintendent even smiled at the Third Prince!

Almost every move Jin Chen and the other made seemed to draw the sound of surrounding officials sucking in a breath of cold air.

Xuan Che stepped down from the carriage, stood firm, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Jin Chen.

Before he could speak, the frightened officials immediately dropped to their knees.

"Your subjects respectfully welcome the Superintendent back to the palace and welcome the Third Prince back to the palace."

Xuan Che: "……"

"This bunch of idiots."

Jin Chen spoke up at the right moment: "Superintendent? Who is the Superintendent?"

He looked in the direction the officials were kneeling, his gaze converging on Xuan Che, and his body instantly stiffened.

"Xiao Qi……?"

Even his voice trembled, disbelieving.

Xuan Che avoided his gaze, rarely showing any fluster, but mostly feeling the fun of the act being exposed.

"Your Highness, first return to the palace, go to the Imperial Study to pay respects to the Emperor."

He continued as before, acting as if he hadn't seen the crowd, his boneless soft fingertips resting on Jin Chen's arm.

But Jin Chen felt he wasn't cooperating, and expected to suffer badly the next second.

"Hn……"

After a long while, Jin Chen nodded, followed the little eunuch's guidance forward, and turned a blind eye to many officials probing him.

His sudden cold demeanor made Xuan Che's smile fade, his aura grew increasingly oppressive as he fixed his stare on Jin Chen's back, wondering what he was thinking.

The surroundings fell silent, fearing that if this killing god were displeased, they'd casually shout at two people to get beaten.

Jin Chen walked a few steps under the gaze fixed on the back of his head, then, as if compromising, turned around and reached out to Xuan Che.

"You will go with this palace."

Just a moment later, Xuan Che's slight pressure dissipated like melting ice and snow, revealing a faint yet sincere smile.

He hurried a few steps, took Jin Chen's hand, and said, "I thought Your Highness had grown angry enough to want nothing to do with anyone."

His tone actually carried a hint of grievance.

"After I see the father emperor, I'll settle accounts with you." Jin Chen pinched the pale fingers in his palm as if punishing.

Their interaction was seen by the officials present, leaving them both shocked and terrified.

Could it be that the Superintendent and the Third Prince……

Several people exchanged glances, deciding to keep this matter buried in their stomachs.

Those who could come to welcome today were all people Xuan Che had leverage over or had taken as subordinates; regardless of what they saw, they had to learn to keep silent.

Otherwise, if the secret were exposed, everyone present today would be unable to get away with it.

The imperial palace has many winding roads; the distance from the Main Gate to the Imperial Study is especially far. Jin Chen glanced at the silent Xuan Che beside him and found it strange.

"Superintendent, why aren't you speaking?"

His words fell into Xuan Che's ears, sounding rather accusatory.

Xuan Che gave a light laugh, but the smile didn't reach his eyes; since entering this high-walled palace, he felt as if he'd put on a mask.

"I thought Your Highness was still angry, so I didn't dare to speak."

"I see you don't look particularly sad; it seems the Duke did this on purpose."

Jin Chen let out another deep sigh, his brows drooping, and said, "I also originally thought… I could get you from Father Emperor."

Seeing him like that, Xuan Che's grudge faded considerably, and a glimmer of smile appeared in his phoenix eyes.

"Your Highness, don't worry; from now on, living in the palace will make coming and going convenient, and I'll visit you at all times."

"Little… Duke, are you serious?" Jin Chen almost blurted out his false name out of habit, but realized it was wrong and stiffly switched to a different form of address.

He appeared somewhat aloof.

Xuan Che lightly bit his lip, let go of Jin Chen's arm, and ultimately said nothing more, "Of course it's true."

While chatting idly, they had already arrived outside the Imperial Study.

Two more people were waiting outside: the First Prince, Jin Hua Xuan, and the Fifth Prince, Jin Changyou. Though they had been polite at first, upon seeing Jin Chen approach, the atmosphere turned tense at once.

Jin Hua Xuan met Xuan Che's cold gaze and instinctively looked away.

He had of course received the urgent report; he ought to have gone first to apologize to Xuan Che, but he simply couldn't stand the attitude of disregarding the imperial family, and with his father backing him, he figured Xuan Che wouldn't dare to act openly.

"Please, Your Highnesses, go in together; His Majesty is waiting."

The emperor's personal eunuch, An Lu, stepped out holding a feather duster; upon seeing Xuan Che outside the door, he gave a slight nod, full of respect.

"The three princes are to have an audience; if the Duke has matters to discuss, I'm afraid they'll have to wait a while."