novelraw Chapter 730 - 710: Enchanting Concubine
Chapter 730 - 710: Enchanting Concubine
Xie Jue gazed at the figure in vivid red attire, like a streak of fire surging toward him, the icy chill in his heart gradually dispelled by this warmth. The two walked side by side.
The Sixth Prince Manor wasn’t far from the Second Prince Manor. After sending away the person who had escorted Xie Jue, he and Lan Ningzhen strolled leisurely through the city.
"Why aren’t you at home recovering? What are you doing here?" Xie Jue asked knowingly. Lan Ningzhen’s injury had been healing for a while now, though perhaps it was due to the winter that the wound recovered slowly. Now that they had an official engagement, Lan Ningzhen demanded, with brazen possessiveness, that Xie Jue visit her every day, as if he were her miracle cure. Xie Jue indulged her, obliging her daily by visiting the Lan Family. Today, however, he had come to the Sixth Prince Manor and hadn’t made it to the Lan Family yet. "Is your wound all healed?"
"Nope, still hurts!" Lan Ningzhen replied with a bright, playful tone, tinged with a bit of coquettishness. Xie Jue felt slightly uncomfortable, shrugging his shoulders to suppress his laughter. Lan Ningzhen didn’t seem to notice. "I heard at the manor that you came to the Sixth Prince Manor, so I was worried you’d be silenced to cover something up. Came quickly to rescue you—touched, aren’t you?"
"If it were truly a rescue, why did you just stop at the door? You should’ve barged in to find me," Xie Jue exposed her nonsense.
"You were perfectly fine—if I had barged in, it would’ve been inappropriate. Let me share a secret with you. Do you know why Dugu Jing is so eager to marry me?"
"Isn’t it because you’re such a troublemaker, drawing him into infatuation?" Xie Jue teased, "After we returned from the outskirts, didn’t you keep seeking him out just to force me closer to you? You lure him intentionally and then blame him for falling for it?"
Lan Ningzhen flushed, her embarrassment barely concealed and her guilt palpable. "So you’ve known it all along and just watched me make a fool of myself?"
Xie Jue smiled without saying a word. Lan Ningzhen immediately went on the offensive, "This is all your fault!"
"Why is it my fault?"
"Because you’re clearly drawn to me but you keep playing hard to get. If I don’t push you, you’d never come closer on your own. A young lady like me can’t just throw away her dignity to chase after you, can I? I had to make you take the initiative—how else would it work?"
"A young lady?" Xie Jue looked at her with an amused expression. "What part of you resembles a young lady?"
"Well then, what’s a young lady supposed to be like? Whatever you like, I can play the part." Lan Ningzhen tossed him a flirtatious wink.
Xie Jue quietly thought to himself, **What a performance!**
As Lan Ningzhen accompanied Xie Jue to the long street just outside the prince’s manor, she suddenly asked, "Why are you treating me so nicely all of a sudden?"
"Have I always treated you poorly?"
"Distant, polite, looking at me as if saying ’Who are you, don’t block my way.’ You seriously lack self-awareness, don’t you?"
"It’s not personal—it’s how I am with everyone."
"But now it’s different. Why?"
"You’re my fiancée. With that title, you’re family. Naturally, it’s different."
"Oh..." Lan Ningzhen reached out to grasp his wrist, her tone turning serious. "And you? Are you willing to marry me? That night, although it was a scheme we devised, mainly to resolve your predicament and avoid me marrying Dugu Jing, the Emperor’s decree for your marriage surprised both of us. In the rush, we didn’t consider your feelings. Did you sincerely want to marry me?"
"Yes!" This time, Xie Jue didn’t dodge nor force Lan Ningzhen to guess his mind. "I truly want to marry you."
**If you are willing to marry, I am happy!**
Lan Ningzhen’s heart raced, and amidst her excitement, she felt a slight pang of disappointment. However, being a straightforward person, she didn’t show it. She reminded Xie Jue, "My brother-in-law isn’t in Fox City, and the battlefield is ever-changing with unpredictable dangers. Should the Sixth Prince or the Great King invite you in the future, you must be cautious or take me along to prevent them from playing dirty tricks."
"The Second Prince has just entered the battlefield. Even if they covet military supplies, as long as the Beiman King is alive, they wouldn’t dare disrupt the transportation of supplies. If they affect the war effort, they’d face severe consequences. Therefore, as long as they can’t take control of the red mineral mines, they won’t dare harm me. If I were to die, they’d fail to control the Prince Manor or the red mineral mines. The mines would still remain under the Second Prince’s management. Killing me would gain them nothing. They’re more likely to coax me or tempt me with benefits." Xie Jue had analyzed the forces of the princes and Beiman thoroughly and showed no concern about being assassinated. "For now, their best bet is to win me over with interests, not eliminate me. You’ve been quite well-informed, I see."
"Don’t underestimate the Sixth Prince. Though he’s frail and often ailing, he hasn’t lost the Beiman King’s trust, which proves his intelligence. In the martial, strength-oriented Beiman Imperial Court, for someone as feeble as the Sixth Prince to hold his ground, his mind must be sharp. Today, he invited you to his manor, but the Great King was already there early in the day. Did you see him?"
"I didn’t, but I knew someone was in the study." Xie Jue, ever perceptive, had sensed something amiss long ago. "The Sixth Prince couldn’t align interests with me, so there was no need to meet. On the surface, he’s just a bridge of communication between me and others, a mere pawn. But in reality, who’s the pawn and who’s playing the chess game is another matter. This Sixth Prince... poses a greater threat than the Great King. Though frail, he has a fearless brother who’s loyal to him. If I were the Beiman King, I’d entrust him with the empire. With one brother waging war and the other managing city affairs, there’d be no concerns for the kingdom’s stability."
Lan Ningzhen nodded slightly. "The Great King has indeed earned numerous military merits, and the Great Queen’s stronghold in Fox City runs deep. Multiple tribes follow her lead. But she wields no actual authority over city governance. The Great Prince is straightforward and surrounds himself with advisors mostly of military backgrounds. As a result, the Sixth Prince oversees the military supplies for the front lines. From food and clothing to weaponry, all must pass through his hands. Ostensibly the Great King’s vanguard, he has, over the years, progressively consumed power and established real authority. The Great King, for all his bluster, is a paper tiger— the truly formidable one is the Sixth Prince."
When Xie Jue had initially entered the Sixth Prince Manor, his original plan was to stay there. However, after some time, he realized it wouldn’t work. The Sixth Prince was too sharp and cunning, making it nearly impossible for Xie Jue to carry out his schemes. Thus, he intentionally provoked the Princess, frequently subjecting himself to her scoldings and beatings, so he could eventually leave under a plausible pretext.
General Meng’s incident was a heaven-sent opportunity.
"As long as you have a plan." The prince’s manor was now within sight, but Lan Ningzhen couldn’t bear for him to return so soon. She could, of course, follow him in, but with so many prying eyes and wagging tongues inside, she much preferred being alone with Xie Jue. "Do you have any official business left today?"
Xie Jue hesitated for a moment. Since the Second Prince entered the battlefield, Xie Jue had been extremely busy, making countless arrangements on his behalf. After today’s meeting with the Sixth Prince, he still needed to return to discuss countermeasures with his advisors. Yet, seeing Lan Ningzhen’s sparkling eyes, he suddenly grasped why some rulers neglect their morning court duties.
"No."
Lan Ningzhen beamed with joy. "Then I’m starving. The food at the manor isn’t to my taste. Come eat with me."
"Alright!"