Chapter 199: I would be honored if Third Prince could grace
the battlefield. Because the journey was long, his body wasn't brought back. All we received was a jar containing who knows how many people's ashes. When the government officials delivered the jar to..."Night Family's Fifth Sister" Quan Qingyun stared at Ye Chulian for a while, then spoke, "How did you get here"
Ye Chu Lian quickly stood up, but she stuttered and couldn't explain clearly. Furthermore, she felt some pressure talking to the Third Prince, so her words were unclear. All she wanted to say was that she came to see the Emperor. The other officials, like Quan Qingyun, didn't understand.
But he didn't care what Ye Chulian was doing in the palace. It wasn't his concern. So he just waved his hand and said, "Alright, what you do in the palace has nothing to do with me. If you don't understand, then don't. I only ask you, since you've returned home, have you seen your second brother How is he doing"
Ye Chu Lian pondered for a moment, “Second brother is at home, he should be as usual, right”
Did your father make things difficult for him
Night Chu Lian shook her head, “I don’t know.”
"Did Old Madam Ye make things difficult for him"
She still shook her head, "I don't know."
"What about your stepmother Did she make things difficult for him"
I don't know.
"Qian Qingcheng's nose almost went crooked, "You don't know anything! You really are something."
Ye Chulian lowered her head, not daring to look at Quan Qingyun. But thankfully, she dared to speak now: "I'm just a commoner girl, what could the Third Prince possibly expect me to know"
"A concubine's daughter" Quan Qingyun snorted coldly, "A concubine's daughter who can survive under the Night family's second house is not an ordinary person."
He tossed out the words and turned to leave. Ye Chulen stood there for a while, thought about it, gritted her teeth, and still chased after him— "Fourth Sister is very good to Second Brother, but Grandmother and my father and stepmother treat him differently."
Quan Qingyun stood his ground, staring at Ye Chulian for a while, and let out another cold snort, "That's not just a matter of being lacking."
Ye Chu Lian nodded, "So, Third Prince, if you're free tomorrow, please come visit the General's Mansion! If nothing concrete comes out of tomorrow's visit, then please come again the day after."
"Huh" Qian Qingyun was taken aback, "What do you mean"
Ye Chulian refused to leave again, only lowering her head and running back to the gate of the Immortal's Palace to sit obediently.
Quan Qingyun was really annoyed and wanted to chase after her, but he thought it was too much trouble to talk to this common girl. In a fit of anger, he stormed off.
Ye Chu Lian let out a long breath, her heart pounding rapidly before gradually calming down.
Is this her way of sending a message But why would she send this one Ye Chu Lian couldn't figure it out either. She clearly hated her second brother, even when he was making trouble, she still argued with him, finding his actions unacceptable.
Sometimes people can be very strange. On the one hand, she feels empathy for Ye Wen's experience because she has also suffered persecution more than once, and the Second Madam has tried to take her life on more than one occasion. But on the other hand, she also feels that her second brother's life is a bit similar to hers, and if she doesn't help her second brother this time, something like this will eventually happen to her.
Perhaps the Third Prince is right. She must have some skills to survive under the Second House of Ye.
Ye Chu Lian calmed her emotions and began peeking into the Immortal Palace through the door. Many princes came out one after another, each of them glancing at her. Especially the Sixth Prince, he stood in front of her for a long time, then politely greeted her: "Greetings, Fifth Sister. You should call me Brother-in-Law."
Night Chu Lian became even more nervous, she didn't know why. The pressure this Sixth Prince brought her was even greater than the Third Prince. He was smiling and polite, and the Third Prince looked a bit fiercer, but she felt that the Sixth Prince was more dangerous. Even when he spoke kindly to her and warmly called her "Fifth Sister," she couldn't help but tremble.
"I've heard about Fifth Miss's courage for a long time, it seems to be true." Sixth Prince smiled again, "Then this prince won't disturb you."
His Royal Highness left, and Ye Chu'lian quietly peeked at his back. At just one glance, she immediately retracted her gaze.
Seeing her tremble with fright, Wu couldn't help but ask: "Is Fifth Sister afraid of the Sixth Prince"
Ye Chu leaned her head, "I'm scared, I don't know why, but I am. But this fear wasn't present when facing the Third Prince. Even though I get nervous talking to him, nervousness and fear are different. It's like..."
She couldn't quite put the feeling into words at first, but Wu Fei seemed to understand her better: "Isn't it that San-gong’s fierceness is just plain fierce, but Liujong’s smile can actually kill you"
Ye Chu Lian immediately nodded, "Wu Gonggong summarized it perfectly."
Wu Fei's eyes rolled, her voice dropping several octaves as she asked, "Sister Five, have you ever met the Sixth Prince before"
Night Chu Lian didn't understand why he asked this, but she still replied: "Of course I have seen him. He is betrothed to the fourth sister. When our grandfather was alive, he worried that after marriage he would not be good to the fourth sister, so he only called the sixth prince to the mansion in Beijing for training."
Wu Fei smiled wryly, "That's because General Ye has the audacity to discipline the crown prince. It means that either the crown prince is willing to listen to his advice or he dares not disobey. But... Fifth Sister, since you have met His Highness Sixth before, do you feel that His Highness Sixth is different from how he was before"
Ye Chu Lian nodded. "It's different. Even at the New Year's Eve Palace Banquet, it felt like a different person."
"Who isn't" Wu Fu shook his head, "Change is change, who knows if it's good or bad." He also glanced at the palace, seeing Ye Chu Lian was indeed a little anxious, so he took the initiative to say, "Old slave will go and take a look for the fifth sister!" Wu Fu didn't wait for Ye Chu Lian's reply, and walked into the Immortal Palace by himself.
When he came out, the last one to leave, Quan Qinghua, followed behind him.
Ye Chu's face turned red instantly. She was nervous seeing the Third Prince, afraid seeing the Sixth Prince, and both nervous and afraid seeing the Fourth Prince. To make matters worse, Quan Qinghua even asked her, "Were you waiting for me" Ye Chu panicked even more.
"I, I didn't... I wasn't waiting for the Fourth Prince. It was my sister, she told me to come, to see Your Majesty." She stuttered a bit, and found Quan Qinghua's white robes blindingly bright. She just closed her eyes.
He looked at her for a while, then asked, "Are you nervous"
"No, no need to worry," Ye Chu Lian hurriedly shook her head.
"Oh." His voice was light, devoid of any emotion. "Then this king shall take his leave."
After finishing his words, he turned and left, leaving even the Third Prince and Sixth Prince behind in terms of decisiveness.
Wu Fu was worried for Ye Chu, so he proactively helped out: "Sister Wu has been waiting here for half a day, why did you let the Fourth Prince leave At least say something! Otherwise, wouldn't she have waited in vain"
This sounded like it was addressed to Ye Chu Lian, but in reality, it was spoken to Quan Qinghua. Quan Qinghua, as if fulfilling his wish, stopped in his tracks and even turned halfway, waiting patiently until finally, Ye Chu Lian arrived: "I heard the Tingchen王府 collapsed. Is the Fourth Prince alright"
He nodded, "Good."
"Oh." She didn't know what to say next. Sweat trickled down her forehead, it was like the middle of summer even though it was January, she couldn't stop sweating.
"Is there anything else, Big Sister"
"No, no," Ye Chu Lian shook her head hastily. "It's fine."
Since there was nothing else, the King left. This time he truly departed; without anyone calling him, he made no pause and soon exited the Immortal Hall's doors, turning a corner and disappearing from sight.
Ye Chu Lian let out a long sigh, seeming a bit unwilling. She stomped her foot angrily.
Wu Fei was exasperated, "Fifth Sister, what use is it for you to be so dejected and stomp your feet after What did you want when the Fourth Prince was here You finally had a chance, at least say a few more words! You've stood here for so long and only said a few sentences, or even closed your eyes the whole time. Don’t you feel ashamed"
Ye Chu'lian also knew she was in the wrong, but there was nothing she could do. She didn't dare. Although she wasn't truly cowardly, the timid appearance she put on at night's house was cultivated out of a need to survive. In reality, she wasn't that fearful; otherwise, she wouldn't have disregarded her family's circumstances and wholeheartedly followed Ye Wenyan out of the city.
But facing the Fourth Prince was completely different. She even lost all the courage she had when they first met. She didn't dare to raise her head or open her eyes, and she didn't even dare to glance at him until he walked away.
How can this be It's just like Wu Fei's, such courage! Then wasn't this whole night wasted
"Enough." Ye Chulian consoled herself, "I came to the palace to speak with the Emperor, I'm not here specifically to wait for the Fourth Prince."
Wu Fei chuckled wryly, “Fifth Sister, just whatever you say! There are no outsiders in the palace now, let’s go in!”
Ye Chu Lian nodded, took a deep breath, and didn't seem to have any psychological burden as she followed Wu Fu into the room.
Quan Qingcheng had just finished discussing matters with his brothers and was in a rather foul mood. He sat at his desk, flipping through several official documents.
Ye Chu Lian knelt in the middle of the hall, her demeanor composed and natural. She spoke in a clear and crisp voice, "Your Majesty, Ye Chu Lian pays her respects to the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" Then she bowed her head and kowtowed, which startled Quan Qingcheng.
"Um... Night Chu Lian Fifth Sister How did you come here" Quan Qingcheng was a little surprised and subconsciously looked back. Seeing that there was no one behind Night Chu Lian, he felt a bit disappointed, but still greeted Night Chu Lian warmly, "Fifth Sister, please get up. There are no outsiders here, so you don't need to bow."
Ye Chu'lian got up, and because her knees had swollen from kneeling at home, she swayed a bit when she rose and almost fell.
Wu Fei was startled and quickly went to help. Quen Qingcheng also rushed to ask, "Chu Lian, what's wrong with you"
"It's okay, it's okay. I just got a little carried away, it'll be fine in a bit."
Having just talked with the three princes, seeing Quan Qingcheng now didn't make me nervous at all. Instead, I felt a bit familiar with her. Wu Fu let her sit and she sat, Wu Fu poured tea for her and she held it to drink. She even hugged the teacup to warm her hands, letting out her breath and saying: "Without comparison there is no hurt. Compared to inside, outside is really too cold."
Then Quán Qīngchéng asked her, "Chu Lián, have you been waiting outside for a long time"
She nodded, "Yes, about an hour I'd say! Earlier, the Emperor was discussing matters with several princes, so I couldn't come in. I waited outside. But it wasn't a waste of time, elder sister Four let me into the palace to chat with the Emperor and offer some advice. I thought of a few things, which just happen to..."。He glared at Quan Qingcheng: "You're sixteen, and in a few months you'll be seventeen. Ye Sijie is a year older than you, how can you call her sister"Quan Qingcheng felt quite wronged, "I've always c...