Outside the hall, Elder Zhan looked back over his shoulder, finding the situation unusual after he thought about it. He voiced out his doubts, "Elder Wu, did you notice that this time, that guy seemed like he was keeping something from us when he spoke?"
Elder Wu's eyes darkened as he looked sideways toward the west. "His ways are often mysterious, so there's nothing special about that. However, this time we cannot just force out Helian Wei Wei's soul and consider that matter settled. The Third Prince had cut off most of our connections and resources at the provincial capital. If things continued on like this and he ascends to the throne one day, what do you think will happen to us? If he orders a thorough investigation of the palace fire that happened years ago, both of us won't be able to escape!"
"So you're saying that..."
Elder Wu's voice turned cold. "We're dragging the Third Price down with us!"
"I don't think we can just drag the Third Prince down like this, since he has the favor and protection of the Retired Emperor."
For the elders to achieve the status they have right now, every one of them had their own smarts and intelligence. Therefore, it was only reasonable that Elder Zhan would have his own thoughts about this.
Elder Wu chuckled before he lowered his voice, "What if the current emperor wants him dead?"
"You intend to use Helian Wei Wei's incident to accuse the Third Prince of treason?" Elder Zhan quickly understood what his peer meant. However, he felt that this idea was way too risky. "It's not going to be so easy, right?"
Elder Wu glanced back at him. "When there's a will, there's a way. The Third Prince married a possessed woman and brought her into the palace, which had already broken one of the most severe royal taboos. Adding that to his recent performance, it would be difficult for the emperor to tolerate this any longer."
He paused before continuing, "In recent years, His Majesty had been obsessed with immortality, like us, which was why he had been so engrossed in distilling elixirs. Everyone else may not understand his true intentions, but don't tell me that you can't perceive it! It is clear that he does not want to be like the Retired Emperor, who passed on the throne to the next generation when he grew old. Third Prince had performed exceptionally well recently, while the Fifth Prince and the empress are no more, which meant that there is no one left to help the emperor in maintaining the power balance in the palace."
Elder Wu's tone hardened as he enunciated his last sentence slowly, "Knowing His Majesty's character, it is unlikely that he did not have any intention to eliminate Third Prince right now. It was just like how he did not oppose it when we made a mess of the Helian family..."
Elder Zhan's eyes darkened when he heard that. "What do you have in mind?"
With this, Elder Wu knew that he had agreed. He leaned over and whispered something to Elder Zhan.
Upon hearing what the other whispered in his ear, Elder Zhan nodded lightly and praised, "You're indeed deserving of the title of elder. This is such an impeccable plan!"
"Well, this couple of days had been rough for the emperor. After the incident at the provincial capital, quite a number of ministers has been making noise about promoting the Third Prince to the position of crown prince. How is he going to sleep with ease like this?" Elder Wu started to laugh, as if victory was already in their hands.
"Currently, the Fifth Prince had been stripped of his title, while the empress is imprisoned in the Cold Palace. It is normal for a powerless prince to make his last bid on the throne by invading the palace with his troops, and it is certain that when that time comes, the Third Prince would mobilize his own troops to defend the palace. However, the situation is a lot trickier now. Since the emperor was already thinking of eliminating him, anyone could spearhead the defense of the palace but him. Anyway, once the Third Prince takes action, my people will sneak into his residence and plant a set of royal dragon robes there. After that, the emperor can launch an investigation and claim that the Third Prince is the one who has the true intention for treason!"
Elder Zhan stroked his beard as he countered, "What if the Third Prince does not mobilize even a single soldier? His actions are often carefully measured yet unpredictable. Even after so many years, I've never understood how that man works. This plan seems perfect, but it's a tad too hasty of us to implement it right away. There is a possibility that he will notice that something's off."
"If he doesn't mobilize his troops or step forward to assume command, choosing to just stand aside without doing anything, then the plan will run even more smoothly," Elder Wu replied smugly. "If that happens, I will speak up in court and point out that those so-called 'rebellious soldiers' are just using the Fifth Prince as a figurehead. The real culprit must be the Third Prince, otherwise why would he not mobilize his troops to protect the emperor?"
Elder Zhan could not help but give a thumbs up after hearing this. "This plan is foolproof indeed! If he takes action, then it amounts to treason; but if he doesn't take action, then it shows that he has other nefarious plans in mind. Unless there is someone who can fight off the invasion for him before he gets involved, but if otherwise, then the emperor would have the perfect reason to get rid of the Third Prince!"
"That is exactly my intention." A sinister smile blossomed on Elder Wu's face.
Elder Zhan thought for a while before saying, "This plan needs to be executed flawlessly. It is best if we can nail down the criminal charge on Helian Wei Wei, so that the Third Prince would be too busy trying to save her instead of thinking about anything else!"
"You don't have to worry about that, Elder Zhan," Elder Wu laughed. "On their wedding day, Helian Wei Wei did not reveal anything suspicious because of the Fire Qilin's appearance. For the chanting ritual tomorrow, all of us, including the Third Prince and Helian Wei Wei, will be inside the palace. Since the emperor is present, nobody is allowed to bring any sacred beasts with them. When that moment arrives, it will be the death of Helian Wei Wei…"
Clatter!
The emperor sneered as he tossed a report to the side. His voice was laced with a clear undertone of fury as he snarled, "Another idiot insisting that I appoint a crown prince as soon as possible. Heh, I'm still sitting on the throne, but they're already so bold!"
With a swipe of his sleeve, all of the reports that were on the sandalwood table were swept unceremoniously to the floor.
Eunuch Gao, who was standing at the side, trembled in fear.
Everything was a sore sight in the emperor's eyes right now, especially a mere slave, so he gave the eunuch a vicious kick to release his anger. "Not only that, the Retired Emperor is also a senile old geezer! Instead of favoring me, his own son, he would rather favor his grandchild?"
Chapter 550 - Gentleness Of The Prince
"Crown prince?" The emperor laughed maliciously. "He will never become the crown prince without my agreement!"
This night, there would be no peace at the Sunrise Hall.
Eunuch Gao dragged his aching body away in silence. Who could have understood the pain in his heart? He had served the emperor for at least 30 years, yet even now, he was still seen as nothing more than livestock.
"From what I see, I think the emperor is getting impatient." Nangong Lie, who had been staying in the Holy Worship Temple all this while, immediately brought the news to Baili Jia Jue after he received it. "Ah Jue, I think that there must be more to this incident. Please be on high alert for these few days. Even though His Majesty has been incompetent and obsessed with elixirs since the last couple of years, the palace still belongs to him."
Baili Jia Jue sat with his legs propped up on a wooden chair, his handsome face plastered with its usual icy coldness.
Nangong Lie did not attempt to advise him any further. After all, there was no one that he understood more than Baili Jia Jue.
When he was young, the empress had never been fond of Ah Jue.
Now that he had grown up…
Even the emperor was wary of him.
Nangong Lie shoo
k his head and heaved a deep sigh in his heart.
When he left, it was already late into the night.
Baili Jia Jue returned to his chamber, bringing with him the chill of the night mist. All of the servants could notice the coldness in his eyes, therefore they quickly lowered their heads and stood aside.
It was all because of the person who lied there in the cage.
Her wrists were restrained by metal chains, but she could still fall into a deep slumber. Next to her was an empty space, like it was left for him.
If it were somebody else in the cage, they would probably be unable to tolerate his peculiarities by now.
She was the only one who could.
Baili Jia Jue felt a certain warmth blossom in his heart. He climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms.
Helian Wei Wei was very docile in her sleep, allowing Baili Jia Jue to manipulate her body however he liked until she was leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around Helian Wei Wei's waist, as if it was only natural for him to do so.
Baili Jia Jue's lips curled devilishly. Then, he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
Right now, she felt completely at ease around him. Her guard was finally down.
Previously, to have her belong to him, he went against his usual principles and claimed her hand in marriage. All of that, just to get her into his bed.
This proved that patience and some scheming were needed to take care of a cunning animal like a fox.
"Ugh…" Helian Wei Wei shifted slightly, disturbed by the chill of his body. The fair skin of her stomach was exposed to the air, rising and falling gently with the breaths that she took, making her seem like a defenseless little animal. "Is it already morning?"
Baili Jia Jue felt like he was an outstanding caretaker indeed. He pulled her over and patted her back lightly, speaking with a voice as low and smooth as a pre-recorded lullaby, "Not yet, you can go back to sleep."
"Wake me up when the sun's up. I'll make you some bean…" Her voice faded away as she spoke, so the last few words she said was murmured inaudibly.
Baili Jia Jue gazed down at her, his lips softening into a faint smile.
The moonlight shone through the wooden windows, casting light on the pair that clung to each other in their sleep. Anyone who saw this scene would definitely think that they were a match made in heaven indeed...
*****
"Achoo!"
Who knew if it was because she woke up too early, but Helian Wei Wei sneezed loudly upon getting out of bed. As a result, her foot jerked suddenly and kicked the headboard, sending waves of pain up her leg.
Baili Jia Jue was standing by the window with a cream-colored towel in his hands when this happened. Upon hearing the commotion, he turned to look at Helian Wei Wei, whose neck was stretched tantalizingly as she tried to survey the damage. He beckoned in a deep, low voice, "Come here."
Helian Wei Wei swallowed instinctively and turned her head aside as she asked, "Why should I?"
"Let me look at your feet," Baili Jia Jue coaxed as he handed his towel to a servant who was standing by the side.
Helian Wei Wei made a noise of agreement as she bent down to put on her shoes. However, before she could do that, a hand curled around her waist and hoisted her upward. When she realized what was happening, she was already lifted up to sit on the sandalwood vanity.
Baili Jia Jue caged her in, his arms pressing down on both sides of her body. He leaned down, capturing her eyes in his mesmerizing gaze, his low voice murmuring softly, "Lift up your leg."
In this kind of position?
Of course, Helian Wei Wei would never do that. She looked at him and protested, "It doesn't hurt, it was just a light knock."
"It got all red just from a light knock?" Baili Jia Jue pressed in even closer, practically forcing her into a corner. His presence was overpowering, so much so that Helian Wei Wei could not ignore him even if she wanted to. Perhaps it was due to the morning glow of the sun, which made his face look even more stunning and defined than usual.
Helian Wei Wei realized that she finally got to witness what was known as a self-beautifying filter. People who looked like a certain prince would definitely be thought to be a s.u.c.c.u.b.u.s, no matter where they went.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want me to continue what I was doing last night?" Baili Jia Jue drawled into her ear. His voice was low and seductive, with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt.
Baili Jia Jue tilted his head slightly and closed the distance between them. The nearer his eyes were, the faster her heart raced.
Helian Wei Wei grasped his clothes tightly as she leaned backward. "Wait…"
"Hm?" Baili Jia Jue did not give her any chance to escape. He freed his right hand and curled it around the back of her head, which was followed by his lips imprinting onto hers.
The slightly chilly sensation and the familiar scent of sandalwood intoxicated her.
Helian Wei Wei panted softly as he pulled her completely into his arms. When he started to pepper her neck with kisses, she finally extended a hand to stop him. "Hold on, I still need to make bean paste buns for you and Little Seven.When he wakes up later, it would be ready for both of you to eat together. Don't you like bean paste buns? You can have it as a filler before lunch."
Upon hearing that, Baili Jia Jue loosened his grip. He observed the beautiful face in front of him as he pondered on what she said.
When did he say that he liked bean paste buns?
She's making assumptions again.
Although that was true, but when the Third Prince got his hands on those bean paste buns, he ate more of them than anyone else. This was enough to prove that the buns were indeed to his taste.
Eunuch Sun took the opportunity to mention the imperial officials who were requesting a presence with Baili Jia Jue. He wanted the prince to meet them so that they could be of some help to him in the future.
Baili Jia Jue looked at the crumbs on Little Seven's face, his brows furrowing lightly. Then, he answered in his usual apathetic tone, "Reject all of them."
Eunuch Sun was stunned for a moment. Then, he lowered his voice and said, "But there are military officials among them…"
Chapter 551 - Do You Think I Am Ruthless?
"Turn them all down." Baili Jia Jue glanced at him, wiped his fingers with a white handkerchief and did not make any further explanation.
Eunuch Sun further lowered his head. He looked over to the direction of Helian Wei Wei, gesturing his hope for Helian Wei Wei to persuade Baili Jia Jue. After all, it would be hard for him to secure his position if he kept on isolating himself from the others.
His Highness has always been a very wise man, what is wrong with him this time!
Eunuch Sun got anxious and pouted.
Helian Wei Wei stood up, she smiled toward him as she took her bowl, "You are indeed very faithful, Eunuch Sun that you even made a face."
"Princess Consort, please don't make fun of me." Eunuch Sun tapped his feet and peeked inside the room, "What am I to do if His Highness continues to refuse to meet anyone."
Helian Wei Wei took a sniff of the red bean paste bun in her hands and spoke with a soft tone, "Does Eunuch Sun think that now is the best time for His Highness to meet up with the ministers? I don't think the time is right."
Eunuch Sun paused in his actions, "You don't think the time is right?"
"Ever since we got back from the provincial capital, be it the Ministry of War or the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs, they are urging the Emperor to speed up the coronation for His Highness. But it has been a few days and nothing has happened." Helian Wei Wei smiled as she took a bite at her red bean paste bun, "This could only mean that the Emperor does not want to establish the coronation yet. At this period of time, if His Highness still goes out and mingle with the ministers from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs, it will only get himself into trouble. It would be better for His Highness to not meet up with these ministers a
s it will also prevent any suspicion from the Emperor."
Cold sweat covered the forehead of Eunuch Sun when he heard Helian Wei Wei's words, "Is the Princess Consort saying that the Emperor is starting to question His…"
"I did not insinuate anything." Helian Wei Wei picked up an apple from the food basket again and turned around, "But from what I see, His Highness just doesn't want to see them. He wouldn't care about all these if he truly wanted to meet up with them."
The closer Helian Wei Wei got to Baili Jia Jue, the more she knew that Baili Jia Jue was not someone he was known for, neither holy nor pure.
The real him was someone who would be afraid of getting blood in his hands after killing people.
People said that he was ruthless.
But it was different in Helian Wei Wei's eyes. To her, he was a young prince who had no childhood. Of course, he had some tricks up his sleeves, but it was a trait that she liked.
How could one survive in a place like the imperial palace if one had no tricks to protect themselves?
Even the Emperor could barely stand him, let alone the others...
"Third Aunt, what are you and Eunuch Sun talking about?" The little one held a bean bun in his mouth when he lifted up his head and looked at Helian Wei Wei with his big eyes.
Baili Jia Jue eyes followed the little one's direction, and his gaze fell on Helian Wei Wei.
Helian Wei Wei smiled and held up the apple in her hands, "I am telling Eunuch Sun to bring more fruits the next time he visits so that I can make fruit yogurt for both you and your Third Brother."
"Fruit yogurt?" The little one nodded with a calm expression. Not bad, it sounds like it'll be delicious!
The way the little one acted as if he was an a.d.u.l.t amused Helian Wei Wei. She patted his head before sitting back at Baili Jia Jue's side.
Baili Jia Jue looked at her impassively, "With that said, Eunuch Sun will definitely be more cautious in the future, right?"
The Anarchic Consort c1-1376 Page 239
