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Lin Wanting lowered her gaze, remaining silent for a long time. When she finally lifted her head again to meet Pei Guanwei's eyes, she spoke softly, "Okay."
Her voice was so faint that Pei Guanwei could hardly believe his ears.
It wasn't until Lin Wanting nodded again that Pei Guanwei, in disbelief, held her even tighter and said excitedly, "I will treat you well, Wanting. You must believe me."
In Pei Guanwei's embrace, Lin Wanting's eyes were vacant, devoid of any spark, like a lifeless doll.
After the banquet, Ye Chen rubbed his round belly and exclaimed, "The chefs in your royal residence are truly amazing. Every dish is delicious enough to make one cry—it's a hundred times better than what they serve at King Ren’s Manor."
Pei Guanjing wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth and smiled, "If you like it, come often. You'll be able to eat it anytime."
Suddenly, Ye Chen remembered something. "By the way, where am I staying..."
Pei Guanjing smiled lightly. "Of course, you'll sleep in my courtyard. Where else would you want to stay?"
Pei Guanjing led Ye Chen through the gathering area of some guests at the royal residence with ease, slowly guiding him toward his own quarters, Wenxin Study.
In the distance, the Regent stood under the corridor watching this scene unfold, his tea cup cracking under his grip.
Behind him, a shadow guard reported softly, "Lou Yu has raised an army in Cangzhou under the banner of Qing Jun Ce."
The Regent gazed at the stars in the night sky and murmured to himself, "What is meant to come will eventually arrive..." His figure stretched long in the moonlight, resembling a lone wolf waiting for an opportunity.
"Tomorrow, have Pei Guanjing bring Liu Chen to the East Courtyard privately."
"Understood."
In the stillness of the night, Ye Chen rested in the room next to Pei Guanjing. The intricately carved wooden door separated them by only a few feet, and both lay in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
As dawn broke the next day, Pei Guanjing rose and left the residence, entrusting Ye Chen to his personal guard, Mo Sheng.
Ye Chen stared at Mo Sheng for a long time, feeling that he looked somewhat familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had seen him before.
The man wore a goose-feather knife at his waist, and his forearms were muscular and sinewy like iron, clearly indicating that he was a seasoned warrior. Yet, he was dressed in the simple attire of a servant. As Mo Sheng stood with his hands at his sides, old scars on his wrists became faintly visible in the morning light.
"Have we... met somewhere before?" Ye Chen ventured to ask.
Mo Sheng dutifully served tea and water but maintained a stern expression. He had once thought that Young Master would marry and have children, but he never imagined that he would marry someone so free-spirited and rustic as Kun Ze from the countryside. Wasn't Miss Lin a much better choice? Why marry someone like this Morning?
Aside from being the son of King Huai'an, what else could this person offer?
What was the point of bringing him home? Was he just a decorative vase?
When Ye Chen inquired further, Mo Sheng naturally replied, "I once passed through Sun Family Village with Young Master and met Little Prince there."
At this mention, Ye Chen recalled that there had indeed been someone else with Pei Guanjing that day whom he had seen. What was his name again? "I remember there was another person named Mo Yu, right? Do you know him?"
Mo Sheng replied, "Yes, we grew up together as young servants alongside Young Master."
Young servants? Ye Chen sipped from his bowl of soup and glanced at Mo Sheng's arms, which were thicker than those of most soldiers in the Military Camp. He silently pondered whether this truly was an ordinary servant; he looked capable of taking on ten men.
Before long, their leisurely morning was interrupted by an announcement: the Regent invited him and Pei Guanjing to meet him in the East Courtyard.
Ye Chen had already met the Regent in public yesterday, but now, in private, it seemed he wanted to take a closer look at this obscure figure who had managed to win over his beloved son.
Preparing himself to face the in-laws without fear, Ye Chen took a deep breath. Before Pei Guanjing could return, he quickly assured, "Alright, I’ll be there soon."
Thus, under Mo Sheng's guidance, Ye Chen made his way to the Eastern Courtyard summoned by the Regent.
At the entrance of the Eastern Courtyard, two armed guards blocked Mo Sheng, allowing only Ye Chen to enter.
Before leaving, Young Master had instructed him not to let Madam out of his sight. What was he to do?
Ignoring Mo Sheng's anxious fidgeting like an ant on a hot pan, Ye Chen waved his hand dismissively. "It’s fine; you wait for me outside."
With that, he stepped alone into the Regent's Eastern Courtyard.
Crossing the threshold, Ye Chen saw the Regent standing with his hands clasped behind his back beside a Taihu stone. The morning light glinted off the silver armor, giving it a golden edge.
"King Huai'an certainly has a good son."
As the Regent turned, his dark iron wrist guards scraped against the stone surface, sparking. "I heard it was you who stirred up trouble in Yunzhou, causing King Ren to be besieged for days."
Ye Chen took a half-step back, his back pressing against the cold Taihu stone. He caught a faint scent of rust from the Regent; this must be his Xin Xiang. Indeed, he was as bloodthirsty as they said.
"Your Highness, regarding Lou Yu... I initially had no idea of his identity. As for my own identity, it was only revealed at the scenic spot when I learned about my biological parents. I believe this has already been reported to you." Ye Chen feigned weakness, his fingertips subtly digging into his palm. "Are you suspecting that I conspired with Lou Yu?"
Though he had been close to Lou Yu during their time at the Military Camp and not many knew about it, he was baffled by Lou Yu's actions in sending troops from Cangzhou to besiege Yunzhou. Consequently, rumors about him and General Xiao Lou had spread like wildfire.
The in-laws had personally come to verify the truth of the matter.
The Regent suddenly burst into laughter, shaking the copper bells hanging from the eaves. As he turned, his cloak swept across the stone table, and with his back to Ye Chen, he remarked, "What a fine son of King Huai'an! Truly reminiscent of your father's youth."
Ye Chen was unsure of the Regent's intentions as he laughed for a while. Only after the laughter subsided did Ye Chen dare to ask about his return home. He had come to the capital to assist Pei Guanjing with a task and was not keen on staying longer.
Caught deep in the whirlpool of power, he didn't have much brainpower left to engage in daily battles with these people.
"Uncle Wang, regarding Nephew's return to Chongzhou, I wonder..." Ye Chen began, but the Regent abruptly turned around to look down at him. His dark pupils resembled a giant beast in the night, fixated on him.
Swallowing hard, Ye Chen bore the pressure and continued, "Uncle Wang, if Nephew returns to Chongzhou for two years, then Nephew can marry and form an alliance. Nephew has yet to meet my father."
It was unheard of to marry without having seen one's biological father first.
After staring at Ye Chen for a long while, the Regent finally said, "No rush; I will send you back next month."
With the Regent's assurance, Ye Chen finally let out a long sigh as he lowered his head. Thankfully, this old man had no intention of keeping him confined in the capital.
Just as Ye Chen was about to raise his head to respond to the Regent, a cold voice came from afar.
"Foster father, what are you discussing with A Chen?"
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