Peerless Heiress - Chapter 68
Chapter 140: The Crown Prince
The discussions were lively, but I was somewhat confused. Li Jinhuan? That owner of Chu Yanlou? I knew he was deeply entrenched, and I knew about the complex and intertwined relationships and interests between his family and other families. The reason I hadn't really dealt with him was because I didn't take him seriously at all.
In this time and space, there is nothing I cannot give up, nothing I truly value; I can leave at any time. Therefore, if I so choose, I can eliminate him at any time; the only reason I don't is because keeping an enemy around is more fun.
However, I know that for the Tianxing Dynasty, Li Jinhuan's intricate network of relationships is deeply entrenched; moving one would have far-reaching consequences. To truly eradicate him, a gradual approach is necessary. Why is this Crown Prince suddenly so eager to eliminate Li Jinhuan? What has this greedy and cowardly little minister done to offend him?
I couldn't help but become curious. I secretly peeked out, wanting to see what this prince looked like. Since he came in, he had only said one sentence, and no matter how much people talked about him, he didn't say a word.
She had just moved her body when she accidentally stepped on Jin Ling's instep. Jin Ling didn't complain, but gasped in pain.
The crowd, which had been discussing animatedly, suddenly fell silent, the atmosphere heavy and solemn beyond belief.
Jin Ling and I were so frightened that we didn't dare to move.
The shield in front of me was suddenly pulled aside, a flash of light appeared, and the cold blade was pressed against my neck. A pair of gloomy and calm eyes appeared before me, staring coldly at me.
I screamed in fright, then froze.
"You...you're the Crown Prince?" I stammered.
The person in front of him suddenly curled his lips into a smile and said softly, "The real deal."
He was dressed in a bright yellow palace robe, with nine dragons baring their fangs and claws on the robe, exuding a sharp and arrogant aura. His long hair was tied up high with a precious pearl from the East China Sea. His usually cold and expressionless face was now filled with countless dignity and nobility, and he wore a rare and obvious look of astonishment.
A turbulent undercurrent flowed in his eyes, as if he were calculating something.
Tai﹏﹏Prince﹏﹏
The Crown Prince is... Dark Night?!
"Cousin...cousin, I...we didn't mean to, I..."
Jin Ling stared at the dark night, her face deathly pale and her body trembling uncontrollably.
An Ye's brow twitched slightly as he came to his senses, his expression becoming stern. "What's going on?" he asked softly.
As he withdrew the blade from his hand, a crisp clinking sound drew everyone's attention. It was the token. I was momentarily distracted and forgot what I was holding, dropping it onto the ground in front of his feet.
A few black lines appeared on my forehead as I bit my lip in frustration.
Damn it, it had to fall at this time.
The officials in the study also turned their gazes over. Their eyes, full of doubt, were relieved when they saw the token, and their curiosity turned to something else.
An Ye's face darkened, and a half-smile appeared on his lips. He bent down to pick up the token that had fallen to the ground and played with it in his hand.
"How did this end up in your hands?" he chuckled.
Chapter 141: There's No Escape
I looked a little embarrassed and turned my head away without saying a word.
"Your Highness, who is this?" These officials were clearly the Crown Prince's confidants. One of them, an elderly man with gray hair, stepped forward and expressed his doubts.
Dark Night raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and looked at me leisurely, as if waiting for me to explain myself.
I bit my lower lip, looked at Jin Ling, and didn't know how to start the conversation.
Today's luck is really bad. Trespassing in the palace is one crime, stealing the token is another, and discovering that the world's number one assassin and the crown prince are the same person is a third. All three crimes are committed at once. This Dark Night even tried to kill me several times to silence me. I don't know how I'll get out of here today. I might even implicate Jin Ling.
Dark Night's true identity, the one he so vehemently concealed, was actually—the Crown Prince! No wonder his demon master said his bloodline was powerful and uncontrollable; no wonder his master said the places he frequented lately were all magnificent and exuding an aura of sainthood; no wonder his master said that a mere top assassin in the world could have such a large number of powerful bodyguards protecting him in secret; no wonder his master, despite repeated probing, couldn't definitively uncover Dark Night's second identity…
Thinking of his master's complaints about being inexplicably interrupted every time he wanted to see Princess Dawei, he couldn't help but chuckle. The true identity of Dark Night is the Crown Prince; if you want to see his fiancée, how can you expect not to alert him? If you do, his master's plans will definitely fall through.
Poor Master, of all people to possess, he had to possess the Crown Prince! The royal bloodline is the strongest, and they have the natural advantage of being immune to evil. No wonder he can control the body! It seems I have to warn Master to leave as soon as possible. If he stays too long, he'll be sealed away and that would be terrible.
My thoughts raced, countless ideas popping into my head in an instant.
"What are you thinking about?" Dark Night's voice was deep, his eyes unfathomable. The way he looked at me revealed a hint of complexity.
A gentle night breeze blew in from the Imperial Garden outside the palace, causing my clothes to billow softly in the wind, like green vines fluttering around me. A strand of hair, ruffled by a branch as I wandered about, brushed against my cheek and floated away.
There's no escaping it.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but sigh softly, then smiled helplessly. I reached out and picked up a strand of long hair, curled it, and tucked it behind my ear. I stepped forward and gently grasped Dark Night's sleeve. "Dark Night, may I speak with you privately for a few minutes?"
"How dare you! How can you be so intimate with the Crown Prince?!" the gray-haired official shouted, glaring at me angrily. The others were also filled with indignation.
I was startled and pulled my hand back as if I'd been burned, then I got angry.
—You bunch of bastards, you almost scared me to death. Can't you talk properly? Besides, what's the big deal about tugging at someone's sleeve?
"You may all leave now," Dark Night said, his voice indifferent, seemingly concealing a hint of displeasure.
Several officials bowed respectfully and retreated, giving me a final glare before leaving, their eyes filled with a warning that I should watch my words and actions.
I rolled my eyes and curled my lip in disdain.
"Jin Ling, you may also step down!" An Ye said calmly.
Jin Ling was terrified. Upon hearing this, she wanted to run away, but after taking a step, she hesitated and looked at me again.
Well, this kid does have some conscience; even at a time like this, he still cares about my safety.
I smiled and nodded at him, indicating that it was okay and that he could go first.
Jin Ling was still hesitating when An Ye suddenly let out a cold snort, his voice full of anger. Jin Ling trembled in fright, and without further hesitation, she took a step and ran out.