Chapter 86

Chapter 86

The safe return of Crown Prince Fu Lingtan from his disaster relief mission stirred unrest among court ministers, causing turmoil.

Many key court ministers, who had been painstakingly won over by the other princes, defected en masse, switching allegiance back to Fu Lingtan and serving under his command.

This enraged the other princes immensely.

They secretly sent their own operatives, striving to curb Fu Lingtan’s rising influence.

The Third Prince was among them.

At present, he was the most anxious and desperate of all the princes, the one who most wished for Fu Lingtan’s death.

With the Second Prince already dead, if the Crown Prince were to die as well, he would be next in line for the throne.

Having come so close to inheriting the throne, he had no intention of giving up easily or playing second fiddle.

The Third Prince reached out to his allies and decided to take the initiative.

He arrived at a courtyard, holding a folding fan, dressed stylishly and charmingly. His face bore a faint resemblance to Fu Lingtan’s—both had deep-set eyes and handsome features.

Some of the maidens in the courtyard, upon seeing him, shyly lowered their heads and covered their faces with their handkerchiefs. Others, bolder, gazed directly at him.

When he returned their gaze, they smiled at the Third Prince.

The Third Prince wore a gentle expression.

Upon closer inspection, however, one could detect a hint of Fu Lingtan’s aura in his demeanor.

He was unconsciously imitating the person he despised the most.

A woman glided forward gracefully and led him inside.

"Sir, someone has arrived."

"Good, you may leave now," said the man with his back to the door.

The woman replied softly, backing out quietly, closing the door behind them, and standing guard outside to prevent anyone from entering.

"Chen Mingzhou, it’s been hard to get a meeting with you."

The Third Prince waved his fan and spoke.

If You Nan were here now, he would immediately recognize the man standing before the Third Prince as none other than Chen Mingzhou, the one who had taken his child out of the palace.

Chen Mingzhou smiled. "Your Highness flatters me."

He continued, "Your presence here brings great honor to this humble place. Since we are allies, we should support each other through thick and thin. Whatever Your Highness wishes to do, as long as the reward is appropriate, I will spare no effort."

Hearing his assurance, the Third Prince’s anger eased a bit.

He got straight to the point. "Fu Lingtan has returned. I want you to ensure he dies quietly without a trace."

The Third Prince revealed his plan. "Within three days at most, Fu Lingtan will leave the capital to suppress the rebellion. I want you to infiltrate the rebel forces and assassinate him when the opportunity arises."

Chen Mingzhou, clear-eyed and bright-faced, showed no trace of worry or hesitation.

The man remained as calm as ever. "Consider it done."

Chen Mingzhou added, "However, you must also secure a few slots for us within the army. Fu Lingtan’s enemies are the rebels; he won’t be watching his own back. If ‘one of our own’ strikes, it will be easier to succeed. After the deed is done, Your Highness will have plenty of reasons to shift the blame onto others."

Chen Mingzhou smiled persuasively. "The Fourth Prince’s maternal family holds significant power. If the Crown Prince is gone, he might become your most formidable competitor. Your maternal family is slightly weaker than his. Wouldn’t it be killing two birds with one stone if we could use this opportunity to eliminate him as well?"

The Third Prince let out a hearty laugh upon hearing this and agreed to Chen Mingzhou’s strategy.

However, his laughter did not reach his eyes. "So, what do you want this time?"

Chen Mingzhou set down the brush in his hand, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather. "The Crown Princess."

The Third Prince thought he had misheard. He paused. "What did you say?"

Chen Mingzhou raised his eyes and met the Third Prince’s gaze. "I said I want the Crown Princess."

The Third Prince’s face cycled through a range of colors—turning red, then green, then purple—before quickly settling back to normal.

"Do you have a preference for men?" he asked, staring at Chen Mingzhou’s face.

Chen Mingzhou’s appearance was truly exceptional.

The sudden change in the Third Prince’s expression was something Chen Mingzhou had seen too many times before, and he paid it no mind.

"No," Chen Mingzhou denied. "If Your Highness is willing, I will make the arrangements immediately."

Hearing this, the Third Prince finally shook off his distraction over Chen Mingzhou’s alluring appearance.

After a moment’s thought, he suddenly laughed. "Fine! You have my word."

He promised Chen Mingzhou, "If Fu Lingtan dies, his Crown Princess will be yours."

Chen Mingzhou’s eyes darkened.

He disliked the Third Prince’s frivolous attitude toward You Nan.

In his heart, Chen Mingzhou marked him as "marked for removal."

"Since we plan to pin the blame on the Fourth Prince, please arrange for the fabricated evidence, Your Highness."

The Third Prince nodded. "Naturally."

The man covered the lower half of his face with his fan.

Never before had he felt so in sync with someone.

Chen Mingzhou suited his intentions perfectly.

The Third Prince knew Chen Mingzhou inside and out.

He had inquired into Chen Mingzhou’s past.

Back then, Fu Lingtan, following his father’s orders, had killed many people from Guan Zhong, among them Chen Mingzhou’s family.

To avenge his family, Chen Mingzhou had chosen to cooperate with the Third Prince to kill Fu Lingtan.

In truth, the Third Prince was no fool. He could see that "seeking revenge on Fu Lingtan" was merely an excuse Chen Mingzhou had casually adopted.

What Chen Mingzhou truly wanted remained entirely unclear to him.

But he couldn't care less.

He had complete faith in Chen Mingzhou's abilities.

Yet what he believed in even more was his own power.

Even if, after they joined forces to eliminate Fu Lingtan, Chen Mingzhou planned to turn against him, it would still be impossible.

The Third Prince heavily relied on the influence of his mother's family.

Chen Mingzhou commanded only a small number of subordinates—few in number but highly elite.

Each one could easily handle ten opponents.

However, all were martial artists, no match for his vast army.

With such a large force, his soldiers could wipe out all of Chen Mingzhou’s men in a single clash.

Even if they weren’t killed outright, should they fall during battle and be trampled by a cavalry charge, their lives would end instantly.

For now, though, the Third Prince had no intention of moving against Chen Mingzhou.

First, Chen Mingzhou was useful—a perfect secret weapon. Second, Chen Mingzhou had an attractive appearance, and it might be entertaining to toy with him.

Third, there was Chen Mingzhou’s earlier demand for the Crown Princess.

The Third Prince had long harbored jealousy and hatred toward Fu Lingtan. If he could kill Fu Lingtan and then abduct the man he loved, leaving Fu Lingtan to suffer at the hands of his enemy, it would be deeply satisfying.

The Third Prince was ecstatic. After concluding his conversation with Chen Mingzhou, he didn’t linger and left immediately.

Not long after his departure, someone pushed open the door and entered.

“Master, everything has been arranged as instructed.”

The newcomer’s voice was cool and detached.

Chen Mingzhou turned to face him. “It all depends on you now, Hang Minyu. The time has come to avenge your master and fellow disciples.”

Hang Minyu lowered his head. “Understood.”

.

Fu Lingtan’s words to You Nan about wanting to have a child with him had completely shocked You Nan.

You Nan was terrified.

If he had known earlier, he would have accepted Chen Mingzhou’s offer to take him, along with the cat and 007, out of the palace.

But now it was too late to regret. He had no idea when Chen Mingzhou would appear in the palace again.

You Nan could only hope that if Chen Mingzhou was busy these days, he would come as soon as possible.

You Nan was too frightened to sleep.

He stayed awake during the day and forced himself through the night, not daring to close his eyes.

He feared that if he fell asleep and woke up, a strange man might be lying beside him.

The Head Palace Maid couldn’t understand why You Nan was acting this way.

She assumed he was worried about the Crown Prince. Even after the Crown Prince returned, You Nan remained restless, only able to sleep once the Crown Prince was back in the palace.

So the Head Palace Maid looked at You Nan with pity, asked no questions, and considerately kept watch over him through the night.

You Nan had no idea what she was thinking. Had he known, he would have loudly denied it.

Slumped at the table, chin resting in hand, he stared toward the door.

But he had overestimated his willpower and underestimated the strength of his natural rhythm.

Since arriving in this world,

there were no phones, no internet, no electronic entertainment. His days consisted of eating, sleeping, and listening to palace gossip to pass the time.

You Nan had nothing to do.

At night, he avoided using candles.

He knew how precious candles were in ancient times. Back in the Pear Garden, his room had none. The courtyard was well-lit, and he had no duties at night, so he went to bed early.

Over time, he developed a natural routine of rising with the sun and retiring with its setting.

This biological clock persisted even in the luxurious palace, where candles were unlimited—though it now delayed his bedtime by half an hour.

So You Nan couldn’t stay awake for long and soon passed out at the table.

The Head Palace Maid wanted to move You Nan to bed but would never dare touch the Crown Princess directly. She also didn’t dare ask any guards or eunuchs to do it.

Their Crown Prince was incredibly possessive.

The Head Palace Maid could only pray for the Crown Prince’s swift return.

Perhaps heaven heard her prayers—but not You Nan’s.

Within half an hour, Fu Lingtan’s figure appeared in the Eastern Palace.

Instead of heading straight to his study, Fu Lingtan naturally turned toward the wing where his Crown Princess resided.

The door to the wing was closed, blocking the cold air.

Inside, the hall was brightly lit with candles.

The maids and eunuchs guarding the door saw Fu Lingtan and were about to announce his arrival when the Crown Prince raised a finger to his lips.

They instantly fell silent, bowing their heads and standing motionless.

Fu Lingtan pushed the door open.

The Head Palace Maid, sharp-eared and alert, immediately reached for the knife at her waist, shielding You Nan, her gaze sharp as she stared at the opened door and the man entering.

Recognizing her master, her demeanor changed instantly. She dropped to her knees, kowtowing deeply. “This humble servant greets the Crown Prince.”

Fu Lingtan raised his hand. “Rise.”

The Head Palace Maid stood, revealing the Crown Princess she had been protecting.

Fu Lingtan walked over slowly.

His steps firm, he stopped beside You Nan.

He looked at the person who had fallen asleep on the table and sighed silently, "What is his consort doing?"

The senior palace maid lowered her eyes and replied, "His consort was waiting for Your Highness to return. She refused to rest and waited until now."

Fu Lingtan's heart was jolted by these words.

He couldn't put a name to the emotions he was feeling at that moment.

He had said such harsh words to You Nan during the day, yet You Nan hadn't gotten angry and still cared for him.

Could it be that You Nan didn’t actually like that person?

His consort's heart did have a place for him, after all?

As Fu Lingtan thought this, his gaze toward You Nan unconsciously softened.

The senior palace maid sneaked a peek and witnessed this rare sight to behold from her master.

Her eyes widened in an instant.

Their master had never shown such care for anyone before.

So, His Highness truly did cherish his consort!

The senior palace maid grew even more determined to protect the Crown Princess.

Fu Lingtan leaned down a little, one hand supporting You Nan's waist while the other slipped under his knees, scooping him up effortlessly.

The weight of the person in his arms was light, like a drifting leaf in the wind, unable to find a place to settle.

The faint, elegant scent of magnolia from You Nan's body began to fill Fu Lingtan's senses without him realizing, slowly making its way into his heart.

Fu Lingtan felt a sudden, tight flutter in his chest. He exhaled quietly, steadying his emotions, and made his way calmly to the bed.