"Musk?!" Shuangxia Changgong's eyes widened, and he suddenly slammed his hand on the table. He picked up the gold hairpin and examined it repeatedly, then suddenly sneered, "You've really gone too far. Who made this?"
Ouyang Yue said expressionlessly, "He's just an unfavored nobleman."
Princess Shuangxia sneered. Having been immersed in imperial power and palace intrigue for many years, how could she not understand the intricacies of the situation? She did not believe that the hairpin was sent by that noble lady to harm people. There was no one in the palace so foolish as to walk into the line of fire. This noble lady was most likely being used as a pawn: "Then what are you going to do?"
Ouyang Yue said, "Let's remain calm and wait for the right moment. There will be chaos in the capital soon, and no one will have the mind to cause us trouble." It's not that they don't want to find out who poisoned the person, but it's simply impossible to find out. This person can use that important person, and during the investigation, they can find out ten or eight scapegoats. It's not advisable to alert them now.
Princess Shuangxia did not stay for long; she talked with them for a while longer before leaving.
Ouyang Yue then said to Baili Chen, "It seems that the Empress Dowager is not that kind of person. It's rare to find someone in the palace who treats me well. I find it hard to believe." Ouyang Yue's smile was rather strange as she said, "It seems that Your Highness still needs to investigate the matter from back then."
Baili Chen nodded: "I'm afraid we won't find any evidence." After so many years, even if there was evidence, it would have been destroyed long ago. Even the officials who were appointed by the court at that time are mostly dead now, and the rest are living in retirement and rarely appear in public. Even Princess Shuangxia couldn't find anything. It would be too difficult for them to investigate.
Ouyang Yue touched the jade bracelet on her wrist: "Not only my grandmother, but the deaths of my father and mother were also strange in every way. It seems that someone doesn't want the Xuanyuan family to prosper at all." Baili Chen had already heard from Ouyang Yue about the relationship between Xuanyuan Zheng and Xuanyuan Hu, and that Ouyang Yue was a true member of the Xuanyuan family.
Baili Chen patted her head: "Don't worry, my wife, I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly."
Ouyang Yue touched her belly. When she first became pregnant, she had expected trouble, but she didn't expect it to come so soon.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace, in the Imperial Study.
Emperor Mingxian, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, was at his desk reviewing memorials when he heard the person kneeling on the ground finish speaking. He paused, looked up at the person who was bowing his head and dared not raise his head, and said, "What you said is true."
The man raised his head slightly, and it was none other than Physician Liu, who had just returned from Prince Chen's residence. Physician Liu hurriedly nodded and replied, "Your Majesty, yes, this humble subject would never dare to utter a single falsehood."
Emperor Mingxian's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "Alright, I understand. You may leave now." After saying this, he lowered his head and finished reviewing the unfinished memorial. Imperial Physician Liu dared not delay any longer, quickly stood up, and hurriedly withdrew.
However, not long after Physician Liu left, Emperor Mingxian suddenly turned pale, slammed the memorial in his hand shut, and sneered coldly: "What audacity! Trying to harm my first grandson!" Then he looked at Fushun with a strange smile, "Tell me, who did this?"
Fu Shun lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, I have a list of gifts sent to Prince Chen's residence. If I remember correctly, that gold hairpin was a gift from Consort Cheng."
"Oh?" Emperor Mingxian's eyes shifted slightly. "Consort Cheng? The daughter of Scholar Cheng who was exiled for cheating back then."
"Yes, Your Majesty is right. It is indeed Consort Cheng, the daughter of Scholar Cheng." Fu Shun said respectfully. Nothing in the palace could escape Emperor Mingxian's eyes. He hadn't necessarily forgotten those neglected concubines; he just couldn't be bothered to pay attention to them.
"Ridiculous! Consort Cheng is too busy trying to curry favor to be foolish enough to harm Mingyue with something!" Emperor Mingxian laughed loudly after saying this. "Seventh Prince is extremely despicable, but I must protect this grandson. Haven't I suffered enough as emperor all these years? No matter who it is, I will never let them go. Go and have Consort Cheng beaten to death. No need to ask any more questions."
Fu Shun was taken aback for a moment, then immediately agreed and went to handle the matter. Emperor Mingxian thought that he would end the matter after beating Consort Cheng, but having served Emperor Mingxian for many years, Fu Shun knew very well that Emperor Mingxian was just about to deal with someone.
In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Fu Shun had returned after completing his orders. At this time, Emperor Mingxian had finished reviewing the memorials and was drinking tea: "Go and inform the palace about Mingyue's matter. Tell them to hurry up and send the things. I will issue another imperial edict. Tomorrow, Sun Quan will be officially appointed as the deputy commander. According to the regulations, he will be guarding the area first tomorrow."
"Your Majesty, it is the Imperial Garden, plus the palaces of Consort Sun and Consort Fen, which are about three palaces."
Emperor Mingxian glanced at Fu Shun with a half-smile: "You're right. Consort Sun's Mingxiang Palace has been empty since her death. Just two days ago, Consort Sun complained that her place smelled bad. You should remind the Empress to transfer Consort Sun to Mingxiang Palace."
Fu Shun bowed his head in agreement, but his heart was inwardly startled. That was the Imperial Concubine's palace! What was the Emperor planning...?
Emperor Mingxian played with the two jade balls in his hand and said, "Also, if the seventh prince comes, just say that I am busy and do not have time to see him for the time being. There is no need to tell me anything you want to say or don't want to say." Fu Shun lowered his head and listened, then responded without saying anything more.
Emperor Mingxian looked at Fushun and said calmly, "You've been thinking about why I treated the seventh prince so badly, haven't you?"
Fu Shun hurriedly replied, "This servant wouldn't dare. This servant's duty is to serve His Majesty well. As for other things that I shouldn't know, I'm deaf and won't listen or see them."
Emperor Mingxian's eyes were deep and dark: "Because I hate him!" Fu Shun's eyes narrowed, and he only dared to breathe in small gasps.
For a moment, the only sound in the imperial study was the "clattering" of Emperor Mingxian turning the two jade balls.
News of Ouyang Yue being drugged and nearly miscarrying spread quickly. The various palaces and departments sent gifts of condolence, and naturally, every household in the capital didn't dare to be left out. Although Baili Chen, citing Ouyang Yue's health condition as an excuse, simply accepted the gifts and sent everyone away, no one complained. If Ouyang Yue's pregnancy didn't survive, Prince Chen might go mad. Of course, some were secretly pleased, while others cursed him.
Since she almost miscarried, how come it didn't completely miscarry and was even cured? The imperial physician Liu was also scolded quite a bit, and it is said that he even caught a cold because of it and had to take leave to go back to his residence to rest for a few days. Of course, no matter what happened outside, it did not affect the Prince Chen's residence.
These past few days, Baili Chen has not entered the palace at all. Emperor Mingxian originally expected that he would cause trouble in the palace, but this did not happen. These past few days, Baili Chen has been guarding Ouyang Yue closely, and he has been checking even more carefully any items that have come near Ouyang Yue.
As for Leng Caiwen, everyone originally wanted to keep it from him, but he eventually found out anyway. Despite his injuries, he insisted on staying with Baili Chen and guarding Ouyang Yue every day. In the end, Ouyang Yue scolded him and told him to go back to bed. Leng Caiwen was a martial artist after all, and his body was stronger than the average person. Although his injuries hadn't fully healed, he could still get out of bed and walk without any problems. Therefore, he insisted on seeing Ouyang Yue at least once a day to put his mind at ease, and Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue didn't refuse this request.
Meanwhile, the palace was in turmoil because of Consort Cheng's affair. Everyone was acting with extreme caution. Fen Die, who was pregnant, asked for leave from the palace, claiming that she was unwell and could not receive anyone except the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the Empress. Everyone in the palace was extremely careful, for fear of incurring punishment for this.
However, at the same time, with the imperial decree of Emperor Mingxian, Consort Sun officially moved into Consort Sun's Mingxiang Palace, and Sun Cheng was officially appointed as the deputy commander to guard the Anle Palace of the Imperial Palace. Consort Sun's Mingxiang Palace and Consort Fenyan's Liuhua Palace were also mentioned. It was said that the Empress and Consort Fenyan had some conflicts on the first day, and there was an undercurrent of turmoil in the palace.
After Leng Caixi's death, Emperor Mingxian showed great compassion and sent many condolences. Leng Caixi, upon returning home, immediately began preparing for her funeral. It is said that after returning to her residence and regaining her senses, Princess Sheng, Leng Caidie, learned that she was infertile and her arm would never heal, and began to make a scene. Prince Sheng, who doted on her, replaced three sets of valuable jade artifacts in her room, only to have them smashed by her, without showing any anger, but instead constantly trying to comfort her. Many people greatly admired and praised Princess Sheng's deep affection.
However, at this time, many people advised Prince Sheng to take another concubine. Normally, a prince is entitled to one principal wife and one concubine of high rank, while other concubines are no different from those in a regular household—lacking rank and security. Since his marriage, Baili Mao has had many women in his household, none of whom are qualified to become a concubine. Originally, there was no need to rush into appointing a concubine, as Baili Mao and Leng Caidie are still young. However, according to the imperial physician's diagnosis, Leng Caidie's recent serious injury has weakened her, and she is unlikely to recover quickly enough to conceive. Baili Mao cannot afford to wait years without an heir, so the selection of a concubine is imperative.
No matter how much Leng Caidie cried and made a fuss, Prince Sheng finally decided to choose a concubine under pressure from the royal family and his maternal grandparents' family. The final choice was Ning Xishan, the eldest daughter of the Ning family's first branch. Although Ning Xihe, the eldest daughter of the second branch, had died after marrying the Crown Prince, the first branch now had a daughter as a concubine, which was a good thing for the Ning family.
But if you were to ask what was the most bustling thing in the capital, all the common people would tell you that it wasn't the excitement at the Sheng Prince's Mansion, nor the funeral at the Leng Mansion, but rather the chaotic infighting among the five great families. Oh no, the Bai Mansion, having declined so drastically in recent years, despite holding the title of one of the five great families, didn't participate at all in this infighting; it was the other four families that were truly in chaos.
First, let's talk about Madam Sun, the second wife of the Leng family. After returning home, she fell ill for two days. Then, in a frenzy, she led a group of people to the Sun residence to demand an explanation. Outsiders don't know the specifics of what they said, but it was eventually learned that Madam Sun was "invited" out. Saying "invited" is a euphemism; in reality, she was kicked out. Madam Sun was so angry that she stood outside the Sun residence, hurling insults that were utterly vile. She declared that from now on, the Leng family's second branch and the Sun family would be irreconcilable enemies. The Leng family also issued a statement, saying that the Sun family's behavior was extremely malicious and abusive, and from then on, there would be no more friendship between the Leng and Sun families.
Just then, Lin Changjian, the eldest son of the Lin family, and Sun Hai, the eldest son of the Sun family, got into a fight over a verbal argument, and both of them were seriously injured. The two families continued to make a ruckus.
Furthermore, due to Leng Caidie's influence, the principal and secondary consorts of the Sheng Prince's Mansion became rivals, Leng Caidie completely lost favor, and the relationship between the Leng and Ning Mansions also entered a frozen state.
At this moment, in the Prince Chen's mansion, Qiu Yue and Leng Can smiled at their masters. Leng Can's smile was extremely irritating: "Master, now that the five great families are in chaos, the capital is also in turmoil. Shouldn't we take action now?"
☆、224、Black people die without paying for it!
Ouyang Yue glanced at Leng Can and said, "You're really despicable. The five great families are in such a mess, and you're still gloating like this. People will think you have some grudge against them and that you're the one who did this."
Leng Can's face twitched. Looking at Ouyang Yue's indifferent expression, he felt a pang of annoyance. He thought to himself, "Can I compare to you in terms of cunning? You were the one who arranged that whole thing, and now you're complaining about me? This is clearly putting me down. At least I'm not as hateful as you."
Ouyang Yue raised her eyes, narrowed her eyes at Leng Can's slightly changed expression, and said, "Hmm~ You must be saying bad things about me in your heart, I know that."
Leng Can smirked, "Madam, I would never dare. You've wronged me about my loyalty to you. Even if you don't believe that, you should at least believe in my love for Qiu Yue. If I really had a problem with you, wouldn't Qiu Yue argue with me? I have the heart but not the guts for that. Don't you think so?" He said, still smiling broadly, acting like a complete scoundrel.
Seeing this, Ouyang Yue ignored Leng Can and looked at Baili Chen. Baili Chen was thinking and said, "When Fu Meier married Baili Jian, the Sun family took the opportunity to seize the Fu family's shops and property. Although Father Emperor confiscated a portion after the Fu family was destroyed, another portion remained in the hands of the Sun family. Strictly speaking, the profits from this portion were enough to offset the death of Consort Sun. Now the Sun family has sent another person into the palace and is in the eye of the storm. If they recommend another prince to compete for the throne, the Sun family still has the strength to make a comeback."
Ouyang Yue nodded: "That's right. That's why the struggle between the Lin family and the Sun family is so interesting. As the number one family in the Great Zhou, the Lin family values literature the most and has always respected etiquette. The Sun family, on the other hand, is decisive and efficient. It will be difficult to determine the winner between the two families in the short term. Although it was unexpected that the Ning family would use this opportunity to climb up to Baili Mao, it is reasonable. It seems that the infighting among the five great families has only just begun."
Baili Chen stroked his chin: "I heard that the delegation that is going to make a big move will arrive in the capital in a few days. At that time, for the sake of his reputation, Father will not allow the five great families to continue to act so recklessly. If we want to take over, we can only do so during this period."
Leng Can nodded vigorously: "Master is right. Back then, Madam reminded us to keep a close eye on the Fu family's shops. That's how we were able to probe the Fu family's conspiracy and use it to eliminate them. If we hadn't had some reservations back then, we would have already taken over the shops left behind by the Fu family. If we don't act now, I'm afraid we won't have another chance."
Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen carefully considered all the possibilities and finally nodded in agreement: "Alright, you two will be in charge of this matter. Don't alert them yet. This conflict between the Lin family and the Sun family involves many people. We should just sit back and reap the benefits, and we must not get involved directly, otherwise our powerful position will be in jeopardy."
"Rest assured, Master, I understand." Leng Can nodded seriously, a rare occurrence for him.
At this moment, Ouyang Yue turned to look at Qiu Yue: "I heard that Qiu Yue has been feeling unwell these past two days."
Qiu Yue immediately lowered her head, biting her lip slightly, while Leng Can laughed heartily: "Madam, you are truly wise and insightful. Qiu Yue was unwell a couple of days ago, and I found a doctor to examine her. Guess what happened?" Leng Can was excited, but Ouyang Yue didn't discourage him. She simply nodded slightly, "I don't know, so I'm listening to what you have to say."
"Slap!" Leng Can clapped his hands suddenly, making Baili Chen frown. This guy was getting too excited.
Leng Can laughed loudly: "Madam, I am very capable. Qiu Yue is pregnant, and she is a month along."
Tsk tsk tsk, listen to this, they got married not long ago and she was already a month pregnant. According to the pregnancy timeline, it should be around the time of conception. How can Leng Can not be smug? This shows that he is really good in that aspect, and the chances of getting pregnant are high.
Although he knew perfectly well, Baili Chen couldn't help but feel a pang of envy in his eyes. He and his wife had been married for almost a year before she conceived, while Leng Can had it so easily; otherwise, he would already be holding a child by now. Only Ouyang Yue knew that Leng Can had probably caught a lucky break, as those days were the most fertile for Qiu Yue. However, seeing Leng Can's excited expression, Ouyang Yue didn't say much: "This is a good thing. Leng Can, please take good care of the Beauty Pavilion and the Clothing Pavilion. The first three months are very important; you mustn't let Qiu Yue overwork herself. Let her rest more. I have some tonics here that are just right; take some with you when you go back. You can't be afraid to spend money at times like this."
Leng Can smiled and nodded vigorously: "I am extremely grateful for your generosity, Madam. Then I will accept your thanks on behalf of Qiu Yue."
Qiu Yue's face flushed red: "Really, how can you be so shameless? I'm perfectly healthy, I don't need to eat those things, you absolutely can't take them."
Leng Canqing put his arm around Qiuyue's shoulder and said, "I knew you cared about your wife and were afraid that she wouldn't have enough of that stuff. You silly girl, how could your wife go without food? Your most important thing now is to give me a big, fat son."
Seeing Leng Can's unrestrained speech, Qiu Yue hurriedly broke out in a cold sweat: "Your Highness, Your Highness, Leng Can is just like this, please don't take offense."
Baili Chen waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, I know. You can handle Leng Can's matter. There's nothing the Princess can't send. Qiu Yue, don't be so polite here. Don't upset the Princess. Since you're pregnant, you should rest well during this time. Once the baby is stable, come to the manor to chat with the Princess so she won't be bored."
"Yes, yes." Leng Can nodded vigorously, but in his heart he was thinking, if Master could spend less time with the Princess, she probably wouldn't be so bored. Seeing the same person every day might make her very frustrated. Although Leng Can didn't dare to say this, he was no different from Baili Chen, and he was now doing his best to stick to Qiu Yue. But Leng Can would never admit this.
Leng Can and Qiu Yue chatted with Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue for a while. Of course, thanks to Leng Can's silver tongue, they received some more rewards. Only then did Leng Can pull the very embarrassed Qiu Yue away. Chun Cao stood outside watching the two leave together, her eyes filled with a hint of envy: "Qiu Yue is so good. Leng Can is also a person who knows how to cherish. She looks so happy."
Leng Sha, who was guarding the door, watched the departing figure and remained silent for a moment before asking, "Do you think that was a good thing?"
“Of course, Leng Can knows how to care for people, and Qiu Yue is also an outstanding woman. Their meeting is certainly a good thing, and they look so happy together.” Chuncao nodded, then hesitated for a moment and said, “Leng Sha, haven’t you ever thought about marrying a woman you love in the future? Spending every day by the Prince and Princess’s side, watching them fall in love, don’t you really want that?”
Leng Sha paused for a moment, then pursed his lips tightly: "Who knows what the future holds? I think Leng Can is foolish. A man's ambition should be to travel far and wide. What's the point of spending every day with a woman? Besides, women are a lot of trouble."
Upon hearing this, Chuncao's face immediately darkened: "Women are troublesome?! Do you dare say that to the Princess? You arrogant man, then you can just wait to be lonely for the rest of your life. I hope you will never be liked by a woman, you blockhead!" After saying that, Chuncao turned her head and walked away angrily.
Leng Sha was a little stunned: "I just said that women are troublesome, why are you so angry?" Leng Sha was really puzzled by Chuncao's anger and didn't know the reason.
Chuncao, however, was fuming, stomping her feet as she walked: "You big blockhead, you stinky blockhead, just wait and see who will like you in the future."
Dongxue walked out at this moment, glanced at Leng Sha, and her eyes even showed a trace of pity. She looked at Leng Sha with even more confusion: "Why are you looking at me like that?" In fact, Dongxue's real name was Leng Xue. She was in the same organization as Leng Sha and Leng Can and had known them for a long time. This woman, Leng Xue, used to be more hardworking and indifferent than men. It was rare to see her with such an expression towards her.
Dongxue said with a hint of exasperation, "Don't you know that if you say women are troublesome, your life will become even more troublesome from now on?"
Leng Sha remained silent, while Dong Xue sighed softly, though her expression remained icy: "You were completely wrong just now, and you'll regret it later." Leng Sha frowned. "A real man doesn't regret what he says. Although that offended Chun Cao, what I said was the truth. In the past, when we served our master, everyone thought of our master first, and although that's still the case now, they will inevitably think of the people they like afterward. Doesn't that greatly diminish our loyalty? Do you think that's a good thing?"
Dongxue was speechless, and finally said, "But you all know that Leng Can will never betray his master. He will also do his best to complete the tasks assigned by his master. You and I both know that. Of course, now he just has something else to care about. Don't you think Leng Can is living a more fulfilling life now? Wasn't his previous life of living on the edge of a knife just a last resort? Now he has something else in his life that can bring him satisfaction and happiness. I think that's a good thing."
Leng Sha looked at Dong Xue and frowned, saying, "You seem to have changed a bit since you started following the Princess."
Dongxue smiled slightly: "What you said may be right. I have indeed learned a lot from following the Princess. At least I have someone I admire even more now."
Leng Sha remained silent. He admired Ouyang Yue as well. Such a woman was skilled in both literature and martial arts, possessed unparalleled wisdom, and cooperated seamlessly with her master day and night. It was likely that there would be no other Ouyang Yue in the world.
Dongxue turned to look at Leng Sha and said, "Also, considering we were teammates before and both come from the First Assassin Alliance, I'll give you a piece of advice: this woman is not to be trifled with. Since you said those things, you'd better apologize as soon as possible, or you'll suffer a lot in the future." After saying that, Dongxue left. Leng Sha frowned as he watched. Chuncao didn't seem like such a petty person. What was so scary about her?
The next morning, the first snow of the year fell unexpectedly in the Great Zhou Dynasty, which also indicated the official arrival of winter and a sudden drop in temperature.
Inside the Prince Chen's residence, Ouyang Yue wore a large, tightly-knitted, glossy pink fox fur cloak. The loose fur collar gathered around her snow-white neck, further accentuating her flawless, porcelain-like skin. Ouyang Yue's belly was gradually growing, and her figure had become fuller. Wearing the plush fox fur coat, she curled up into a ball, looking incredibly cute and alluring.
Baili Chen stretched out his long arm and put it around Ouyang Yue's shoulder, a smile on his face. He was much more relaxed than Ouyang Yue. He had simply added another layer to his autumn clothes. His outer garment was made of the finest brocade, with a layer of mink fur added to the collar. His five-dimensional figure did not need any external embellishment. When he sat there, he looked like a jade goddess from a snowy mountain, with an extraordinary demeanor.
"Ahem." At this moment, a cough sounded, immediately attracting the attention of Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen. Leng Caiwen, wearing a black fur coat and clenching his fist, glanced at the two of them with dissatisfaction: "Alright, stop pretending to be affectionate in front of me. Can't you see I'm still all alone?"
Ouyang Yue glanced at Leng Caiwen nervously, observed him carefully, and realized that the coughing sound was indeed intentional on his part. She then felt relieved and said, "Cousin, it's so cold outside. I think you should go back and rest."
Leng Caiwen frowned upon hearing this and waved his hands repeatedly, "Alright, alright, if you don't like what I said, just pretend I didn't. But please don't send me back. Staying cooped up in my room all day will make me sick even if I'm not already." Leng Caiwen used to be someone who couldn't sit still. But ever since the imperial physician said he could get out of bed, he's insisted on going out for an hour or two every day, despite Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue's attempts to stop him. Otherwise, he'd need Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue to keep him company and talk to him. Now, Leng Caiwen laughed again, "Hey, let's not talk about that. Didn't you say something interesting would happen today? Let's go, or the show will start."
Ouyang Yue said, "Thanks to my cousin's reminder, I had no choice but to leave."
Baili Chen nodded. Chuncao and Dongxue had already sent people to prepare the carriage. The three of them got up and walked outside, but the sudden chill made Ouyang Yue shrink her shoulders. Baili Chen quickly hugged her.
Because Ouyang Yue was pregnant, the carriage they were traveling in had been completely renovated inside and out. This carriage didn't focus on luxurious exteriors; comfort was the priority. It was spacious enough to accommodate six people. Since it was winter, the interior walls were lined with white rabbit fur, the seams connected by strings of pearls. Black fur carpets covered the floor, and a fixed wooden table sat on it. On the table was a gilded bronze incense burner filled with fine silver charcoal, making the interior warm—a world apart from the cold outside. A pot of tea and four kinds of fruit and pastries were also on the table, making it feel just like being at home.
Baili Chen helped Ouyang Yue to the front seat, while Leng Caiwen reclined to the left, patting the soft fur on his body. He glanced at the carriage ceiling and clicked his tongue, "Tsk tsk tsk, I'm really lucky to be riding in such a luxurious carriage thanks to my cousin. Otherwise, I probably would never have been able to ride in such a luxurious carriage in my entire life." The outside looked ordinary, but the interior decorations were enough to buy three top-of-the-line carriages. They really spared no expense.
Ouyang Yue laughed: "Look what my cousin said, if you like this carriage, it's yours."
Leng Caiwen's eyes lit up: "My cousin really cares about me. But I'm thick-skinned and can only watch with envy. I can't sit here myself, but I appreciate your kindness." Ouyang Yue smiled and didn't force her.
The carriage hadn't traveled far before heading towards Langhuan Street, the most affluent street in the capital, and stopping in front of Langhuan Jade Pavilion. The shopkeeper inside immediately came out to greet them with a smile, and Baili Chen simply waved his hand, leading everyone to Baili Chen's private room on the fifth floor.
Clearly, the manager of Langhuan Jade Pavilion knew that Baili Chen and his group were coming today. The charcoal fire in the room was burning just right, and a light incense was lit. There were more than ten kinds of hot tea, fruit and snacks, and more than ten female waitresses were there to serve them. Ouyang Yue frowned slightly as she looked at them. Baili Chen immediately said, "Alright, let them all go out. I will bring my own people to serve them. I find it annoying to have too many people."
"Yes, Prince Chen." The shopkeeper hurriedly told the female waitresses to leave, but they were somewhat reluctant. Their eyes couldn't help but glance at Baili Chen. Prince Chen didn't come to Langhuan Jade Pavilion often, so they rarely had the chance to see him. And when he came, they weren't even allowed to serve him.
Those who initially said Baili Chen would die young have now debunked the rumors. If Baili Chen were truly so frail, how could Ouyang Yue have conceived? They'd never heard of sickly children being so robust. Furthermore, Baili Chen enjoys the Emperor's favor; he is the deceased Empress Bai's biological son, a true legitimate heir. In terms of lineage, he is even more legitimate than the Crown Prince, though the Crown Prince is merely the eldest son. Moreover, Baili Chen has the support of figures like the Princess Xuanyuan Army's household, and some in the court also favor him. Unfortunately, Baili Chen isn't currently cultivating relationships with court officials, and even those who initially intended to submit to him have temporarily backed down. However, this doesn't diminish the high regard people have for Baili Chen.
Leng Caiwen couldn't help but click his tongue and say, "Look at my cousin's husband, he's so handsome and charming. He's got those young girls mesmerized. I hope he doesn't lose his mind and accidentally fall down the stairs and die."