Jiang Yu Li had never seen Yan Jin Chao's sleeping face like this. In her memory, he was always cold and distant, not like this, with a bit more humanity.
She couldn't help but want to reach out and touch his sleeping face, but as soon as she reached out, someone slapped it away. "Young Master, he finally fell asleep. Please, Miss Jiang, do not disturb him."
Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
She disliked anyone trying to touch Yan Zhao.
Even though she knew Jiang Yu Li couldn't do anything, she still disliked it.
"How dare you hit my young lady?" Xiao Huan, who was beside her, was displeased.
Xue Zi Ning said coldly, "Anyone who disturbs my young master's rest is not allowed."
Whether it was now or in the past, she had never seen him sleep like this. It was obvious he must be very tired.
"Miss Jiang, if there's nothing else, please move along." With that, she pulled down the carriage curtain.
Seeing the sleeping face disappear, Jiang Yu Li dotingly withdrew her gaze and said to her, "My apologies."
"Xiao Huan, let's go..." Jiang Yu Li turned to leave.
Xiao Huan was unhappy. "Miss, why should a mere maid hit a young lady?"
"Xiao Huan, we were presumptuous towards Young Master Yan. Besides, that maid didn't do anything wrong," Jiang Yu Li said dismissively.
But Xiao Huan bore it in mind and decided to report back to the Prince.
Seeing Jiang Yu Li leave, Xue Zi Ning intended to drape a cloak over him. The weather was cool now, and sleeping like this could easily lead to illness.
She lifted the carriage curtain and saw those clear, cold eyes. She was stunned. Perhaps seeing it was her, Yan Jin Chao withdrew his cold gaze and said indifferently, "Something wrong?"
Xue Zi Ning lowered the curtain. She couldn't exactly say she was going to put a blanket on him.
"Miss Jiang came just now," Xue Zi Ning said.
"I know," Yan Jin Chao's voice came from inside.
Xue Zi Ning was startled. "You know?"
"Mmm," a voice came from the carriage.
"So, you heard the entire conversation?"
"Yes," Yan Jin Chao said.
"Do you know that I might have offended Miss Jiang?" Xue Zi Ning said helplessly.
She felt that once Jiang Yu Li returned, the Prince of Beijiang would definitely know what happened here. Was he afraid she wouldn't die fast enough?
"My people do not need to fear anyone."
Xue Zi Ning was stunned. The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing that face, refined and handsome, like an immortal.
Even after seeing it many times, it still gave her a heart-fluttering feeling.
She turned her face away and said, "Young Master, you just woke up, and the weather is a bit cool. Don't fall ill."
"You're worried about me?" Yan Jin Chao suddenly lowered his head and looked at her.
His dark eyes now shone with a bright light, dazzling like a galaxy, incredibly beautiful.
Xue Zi Ning was startled. "You are the young master, it's normal for me to care."
Yan Jin Chao looked at her for a while, then returned to the carriage. "Get in the carriage, we're going back to the manor!"
Xue Zi Ning got into the carriage. Perhaps lost in thought, she wasn't paying attention and stumbled, crashing inside. Thinking she would hit her head or face first, a powerful force pulled her towards it. Then, she fell into an embrace, the familiar, crisp scent faintly wafting over.
She felt a little dazed.
"Young Master, the Prince of Beijiang wants to see you..." someone said from inside the carriage.
Xue Zi Ning came to her senses and realized she was in Yan Jin Chao's arms. She quickly stood up.
"I know," Yan Jin Chao said indifferently.
Then, he added, "Go to the Prince of Beijiang's manor."
Along the way, Xue Zi Ning had no mind to appreciate the scenery.
Upon arriving at the Prince of Beijiang's manor, Yan Jin Chao alighted from the carriage. The manor servants hurried forward. "Young Master Yan, please follow me. The Prince is waiting for you in the study."
After the servant finished speaking, he realized there was no reply. He couldn't help but look back. Where was Young Master Yan behind him?
He quickly turned back and saw that Young Master Yan was still by the carriage, reaching out his hand towards the carriage and leading out a young lady from inside.
The servant was stunned. So, Young Master Yan was waiting for someone else. "Young Master Yan, the Prince..."
"I know. Lead the way," Yan Jin Chao said coldly, giving the servant no chance to speak.
The servant was startled but dared not say anything more, obediently leading the way.
Xue Zi Ning looked at Yan Jin Chao. For a moment, she had an illusion that her Yan Zhao had returned.
But she knew it wasn't yet, and it wasn't enough. This was far from enough.
Outside the study, the servant tried to stop Xue Zi Ning. This time, Yan Jin Chao said indifferently, "A Ning, wait for me here..."
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "Yes, Young Master."
Yan Jin Chao entered the study. The Prince of Beijiang looked at the person who had arrived late, his face darkening. "Young Master Yan is truly hard to invite. I have been waiting for you for a full hour."
Yan Jin Chao heard this and said indifferently, "I did not know beforehand that Your Highness would summon me, so I am late. Please forgive me!"
The Prince of Beijiang was truly amused to the point of anger. Anyone who saw him, even if not kowtowing nine times, would at least be extremely respectful. Yet, the person before him, even after losing his memory, had never shown him even a little bit of respect.
But he was helpless against him. Even though he no longer had anyone to protect him now, and might not be able to defeat him, he still dared not act.
Because he didn't know what else Xue Jing Yun knew that he didn't.
His years of carefulness and treading on thin ice had brought him to this point. He couldn't afford to fail now.
Moreover, he was reluctant to get rid of Xue Jing Yun. If this person could be used by him, wouldn't unifying the world be easy?
However, a reprimand was unavoidable. For example, Xiao Huan had reported to him earlier that Yan Jin Chao had allowed his maid to humiliate Yu Li and even hit her.
"May I know why Your Highness summoned me?" Yan Jin Chao asked indifferently.
The Prince of Beijiang glanced at him. "Yu Li was made difficult for by your maid?"
Yan Jin Chao raised his eyes. "Nothing of the sort happened."
The Prince of Beijiang was amused to anger. "Young Master Yan, you so righteously and openly favor your people, do you take this king for a fool?"
"Your Highness has no proof, yet you say my maid made things difficult for Miss Jiang. I can only defend her."
"Yu Li didn't say anything; she always reports good news and hides bad news about your affairs. It was her maid who told me." The Prince of Beijiang said.
"Your Highness, how credible is a maid's word? I could also say she bullied my A Ning, and A Ning merely retaliated."
The Prince of Beijiang heard this and said, "Young Master Yan, it's impossible not to distinguish right from wrong."
"Your Highness also didn't investigate, but based on a maid's words, you summoned me here to reprimand me. Isn't that also not distinguishing right from wrong?"
"Yan Jin Chao." The Prince of Beijiang was enraged.
"Your Highness is angry? Then, as you can imagine, I was also angry just now," Yan Jin Chao said coldly, his expression exceptionally serene.
The Prince of Beijiang took a deep breath. When he looked up again, the anger was gone. "I didn't summon you for this matter, but for the city."
"Your Highness, please speak," Yan Jin Chao said.
"Tomorrow, I want to deal with those prisoners," the Prince of Beijiang said to him slowly.