A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

But his father summoned him specifically...

Princess Chaoyang pondered for a long time with a somber expression.

Having been her father's daughter for so many years, she naturally knew what kind of person he was. If her father had truly harbored such thoughts, he would have already begun to act.

Otherwise, he would not have summoned Xu Yan.

This is the first step in Father's plan.

Even without Xu Yan, there would be Chen Yan, Zhang Yan...

Who this man is makes little difference to the Emperor.

Anyway... Chaoyang gently stroked her lower abdomen; this child had to come out of her womb.

Therefore, Xu Yan cannot be moved for the time being.

What would happen if Xu Yan were harmed?

Then the Emperor will know that she is unwilling to support his plans.

Chaoyang squinted. When her eyes were open normally, they resembled those of Consort Chen, but when they were slightly squinted, her expression was very much like that of her father, Emperor Qianwu.

Perhaps, she could also take action against Xu Yan; she needed to show her father her determination…

Chaoyang thought it over and over, but couldn't make up his mind for a while.

If this matter has nothing to do with Emperor Qianwu, then Chaoyang can do it boldly. After all, even if she makes a mistake, her father and grandmother will support her and bail her out.

But this matter is directly related to my father, the emperor.

Chaoyang needs to be more cautious and think things through a few more steps.

Originally, she could have gone to Xu Yan and listened to his opinion.

Xu Yan may not be good at other things, but he's good at talking and offering suggestions.

However, this matter concerns Xu Yan's life or death, so it seems inappropriate to ask Xu Yan himself, no matter what.

Just then, Princess Chaoyang heard that Xu Yan had returned.

She put down her teacup, and for the first time, a hint of interest appeared on her face.

She hadn't originally planned to ask him, but now that he's back, she might as well ask.

If she wanted to kill him, how would Xu Yan react?

He will certainly do everything in his power to save his life, and that will be very interesting.

When Xu Yan entered, the candlelight in the hall had already been changed once.

He stood at the door, first taking off his cloak and handing it to the palace maid by the door, then straightening his clothes before stepping inside.

His movements were unhurried and his demeanor impeccable, as if he were attending an ordinary appointment.

The morning sun leaned against the chaise lounge, watching him approach step by step.

The candlelight shone from the side, making his features even more distinct.

Xu Yan was extremely handsome, so handsome that even though she was thinking about whether or not to kill him, she couldn't help but take a few more glances at him.

With sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and slightly pursed thin lips, he had a cool and aloof appearance.

His appearance does resemble Zhou Mingchong from a distance, but it's only a superficial resemblance.

His lips were thinner than Zhou Mingchong's.

It is said that men with thin lips are fickle.

But he was born with a pair of amorous peach blossom eyes.

Zhou Mingchong's eyes were upright and unyielding, which did not do justice to his handsome face.

Xu Yanze was just right.

Too little and it seems heartless; too much and it seems promiscuous.

That's why she kept him in the first place.

At that time, he was just a failed scholar, so poor that he couldn't even afford to stay at an inn, yet he still dared to argue about politics with people in a tavern.

She listened in from a private room on the second floor and found the man interesting, so she had him brought over.

When he saw her, he neither panicked nor knelt. He simply stood and glanced at her, saying, "Your Highness has quite the refined taste."

She immediately raised an eyebrow and asked him, "Do you know who I am?"

He said, "I don't know. But the only young woman who could be in this place with guards is a princess."

She smiled.

From then on, he moved into a separate courtyard in the princess's residence.

He would appear whenever she wanted to see him;

When he doesn't want to see you, he disappears without a trace.

She never asked him where he went or what he did, and he never said a word.

Such male concubines are the easiest to use.

But now—

As Chaoyang watched him approach, a thought suddenly popped into her mind.

Can this person still be kept alive?

"You're back?"

She spoke, her voice languid.

Xu Yan stood before the couch, three steps away from her, neither too close nor too far, just the distance between a subject and his monarch.

"I'm back."

"How could I dare refuse Your Highness's request to see me?"

Chaoyang raised an eyebrow.

His words sounded respectful, but his tone clearly showed no respect whatsoever.

"Sit down and talk."

She pointed to the embroidered stool beside the couch, "What are you standing there for? I'm tired of craning my neck to look at you."

Xu Yan sat down as instructed.

The moment he sat down, his gaze swept across her face, but only for a fleeting instant before falling back down.

But in that instant, the rising sun captured it.

He was looking at her.

What are you looking at her for? Her mood today? Whether there's murderous intent on her face?

She suddenly felt like laughing.

"Entering the palace today..."

She spoke, her voice still languid, "What did Father Emperor say to you?"

Xu Yan's eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Your Highness, His Majesty asked some questions."

Chaoyang waited for a while, and seeing that he didn't continue, she smiled.

"Did you ask some questions?"

"What did you say? How long did you ask? What did you answer?"

Xu Yan raised his eyes and looked at her.

Those eyes were no longer smiling; they were deep and still, like a bottomless pool of water.

"Does the princess want to know?"

Chaoyang didn't say anything.

Xu Yan didn't ask any more questions.

The two just stared at each other, neither of them saying a word.

The hall was extremely quiet, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight.

After a long while, Chaoyang suddenly smiled.

The smile was so bright, as if nothing had happened.

"Xu Yan".

She called his name, her voice soft, "Do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

Xu Yan's gaze shifted slightly.

"What is the princess thinking?"

Chaoyang propped himself up and leaned forward, getting a little closer to him.

I was so close I could see the curve of his eyelashes and smell the faint scent of pine on him.

"Thinking..."

She deliberately lowered her voice, staring intently into his eyes, as if trying to know what he was thinking, "Should I kill you...?"

Xu Yan's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

In just a moment.

Then he laughed.

The smile was faint, as if he had just heard a casual joke.

"The princess wants to kill me?"

"Then kill them."

His voice was calm and composed, as if he were talking about what kind of tea he had that day.

Chaoyang's eyes narrowed slightly.

Looking at his face, that smiling face, she suddenly couldn't understand him anymore.

Isn't he afraid she'll kill him?

No, Chaoyang knew that Xu Yan was afraid.

The fact that he had the audacity to encourage her to fight for that position shows that he is an ambitious person.

Would an ambitious person who has not achieved his ideals and aspirations want to die?

No, he definitely doesn't want to die; he should be terrified.

She could see it in his brief pause, in the slight tension in his jawline, and in the depths of his eyes.

He fears.

But he wasn't afraid.

Because he was still laughing.

And he still smiled so calmly.

"Xu Yan," she tilted her head to look at him, "do you know that I have actually killed someone?"

Xu Yan nodded: "I know."

"You know that, yet you still laugh?"

"Should I cry instead of laugh?"

Xu Yan said, "If I cry, the princess won't kill me?"

Chaoyang was stunned for a moment.

Then she laughed.

They laughed so hard they were doubled over, and tears almost streamed down their faces.

"Xu Yan, oh Xu Yan!"

She laughed as she said, "Your mouth, really..."

She didn't continue.

Xu Yan sat there, letting her laugh, his face still showing that calm and detached expression.

But his hands, resting on his knees, were slightly curled at the fingertips.

The rising sun saw it.

She laughed even harder.

She laughed for a while before stopping, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, and leaning back on the chaise lounge.

"Alright," she said, her voice still carrying the lingering echo of her laughter, "tell me, what exactly did Father Emperor say to you?"

Xu Yan was silent for a moment.

"His Majesty asked me three questions."

Chaoyang raised an eyebrow: "Which three items?"

"The first thing," Xu Yan said, "is to ask me where I'm from, what my background is, and what books I've read."

Chaoyang nodded.

This is to investigate the details.

"And the second one?"

"The second thing," Xu Yan paused, "was to ask me how many years I've known the princess and what I usually do."

Chaoyang narrowed his eyes.

This is about exploring relationships.

"The third item?"

Xu Yan raised his eyes and looked at her.

Something flashed across those eyes.

"The third thing," he said, "is that His Majesty asked me if I wanted to marry the princess."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Chaoyang's hand rested on the couch, his fingertips twitching slightly.

In just a moment, calm returned.

"What did you answer?" she asked.

Xu Yan looked at her, his gaze seeming to penetrate into her heart.

"I said," he said, emphasizing each word, "if the princess wants to marry me, I will marry her. If the princess doesn't want to, I won't."

Chaoyang fell silent.

She looked at him, at his eyes, at his face, at his aloof and indifferent demeanor.

Suddenly, I realized that this person is actually quite interesting.

"Xu Yan,"

Chaoyang's red lips parted slightly, "Do you know why Father Emperor asked you these questions?"

Xu Yan nodded: "I know."

"You knew that, yet you still answered like that?"

Xu Yan smiled.

That smile, for the first time tonight, had a touch of genuine warmth.

"Princess," he said, "what would His Majesty think if I didn't answer this way?"

Chaoyang didn't say anything.

Xu Yan continued, "If I say I want to marry her, His Majesty will think I covet the princess and have ulterior motives."

"If I say I don't want to marry her, His Majesty will think I look down on the princess and don't know what's good for me."

"That's all I can say—I'll leave the choice to the princess."

"That way, His Majesty will think that I am a person who knows how to behave."

After listening, Chaoyang remained silent for a long while.

Then she laughed.

That smile was different from before; it seemed to have gained a touch of gentleness, or perhaps something else entirely...

"Xu Yan".

"I'm growing to like you more and more."

Xu Yan lowered his eyes and didn't reply.

Chaoyang looked at him and suddenly leaned forward again.

"Then you know..."

She lowered her voice, almost whispering in his ear, "What am I thinking about right now?"

Xu Yan's back stiffened slightly.

That stiffness lasted only a moment.

But Chaoyang sensed it.

Satisfied, she retreated back onto the chaise lounge, smiling like a cat that had just stolen some cream.

"Thinking..."

"It would be such a waste to kill someone as smart as you."

Xu Yan looked up at her.

The faint fear in those eyes had vanished, replaced by something complex.

"That princess..."

"Should we kill them or not?"

Chaoyang tilted her head and looked at him for a long while.

Then she laughed.

"I won't kill them tonight," she said. "We'll see tomorrow night."

Xu Yan stood up and bowed to her.

"Then I shall take my leave."

"Come back tomorrow night to face your death."

Chaoyang was amused by him and waved his hand, signaling him to step back.

Xu Yan turned and walked out.

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at her.

That glance was brief, yet profound.

"Princess."

"I meant what I just said."

Chaoyang raised an eyebrow: "Which sentence?"

Xu Yan smiled, didn't answer, and went out, lifting the curtain.

Chaoyang stared at the swaying curtain for a moment, stunned.

Then she laughed.

"Xu Yan, oh Xu Yan," she murmured, "your mouth..."

She didn't continue.

However, her murderous intent towards this man had lessened somewhat.

If the Emperor truly wanted to lend Xu Yan a child so that the father could leave and the son would remain, Xu Yan would undoubtedly be the best choice.

He is intelligent, good-looking, and well-educated.

At least, the children born to him won't be ugly, nor will they be mentally deficient.

But if she really had a child with him, he would surely die.

As the sun rose, he pinched the bridge of his nose and lowered his eyes slightly, making it truly impossible for anyone to decide...