Jun Yelan was fastening his sash, and when he saw Lan Yan's ears turn red, the corners of his mouth curved upwards. He sat down, poured a cup of tea, and asked with a smile, "What brings you to see me?"
Lan Yan, hearing his voice, slowly turned around. Seeing Jun Yelan dressed and seated opposite her, her gaze involuntarily drifted to his chest. She cleared her throat and said, "It's actually a small matter."
"The courtesan we met outside earlier was a spy sent by the Hao Kingdom. He's here for peace talks this time and will be staying in the palace for a few days. I've already sent Mei Dong to monitor him. Please don't worry about it; just consider the palace to have an extra temporary resident."
Although Jun Yelan resided in the inner palace, his senses were sharp. He was already aware of this matter. Seeing Lan Yan's hurried demeanor, he knew she was anxious to explain herself.
A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. He took Lan Yan's hand, which rested on the table, and said, "Alright, I'll listen to you."
A warmth spread from the back of Lan Yan's hand, and hearing Jun Yelan's gentle words, the feelings stirred within her grew stronger. She was someone who acted on her convictions without delay.
"Jun Yelan, in the future, the two of us..."
A commotion outside the door suddenly interrupted her words, causing her to become irritated.
Jun Yelan also furrowed his brow and looked coldly towards the door. "What is happening?"
Outside, Xi Chen walked over. Seeing the two holding hands, a trace of jealousy stirred within him. He shook his head; he was here to question them.
"Lan Yan, what did you mean by what you said today? Am I that terrible! I am a prince, after all, far better than your secondary consort."
Lan Yan retorted angrily, "Xi Chen, as a prince, do you lack basic manners! My secondary consort is naturally excellent, incomparable to ordinary people. You should leave quickly and be quiet."
If it weren't for the peace talks, she would have loved to shut this person up.
Seeing himself being dismissed, coupled with the change in his sister's attitude towards him, Xi Chen's eyes misted over. "Do you think I want this! I don't like you at all, nor do I want to be here, but I have no choice."
A vulnerability spread across his being, and he stubbornly let tears well up in his eyes. "I want to go home. I've never been scolded since I was a child, but lately, it's been constant. Now, I don't even have a home anymore."
If Xi Chen had continued to be sharp-tongued, Lan Yan would have known how to handle him, but now she was at a loss. She said with a headache, "As long as you stay quiet, no one will scold you for no reason."
"Since you are part of royalty, you must be prepared for such days. I prevented my elder brother from going for marriage negotiations precisely to avoid this situation. You will go home." Having said this, she quickly moved away.
She looked at Jun Yelan beside her and said, "Let's go."
Xi Chen watched the door close again, and the anger in his heart subsided considerably. This Lan Yan wasn't so detestable after all, but he was still the person he disliked the most.
Jun Yelan and Lan Yan walked side by side, their expressions troubled as they entered the room. Xi Chen's tearful appearance earlier had moved even the palace maids nearby. Would Lan Yan be similarly affected?
He clenched his fist, unwilling to give Lan Yan to anyone now.
Lan Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she had been clever enough to offer a few comforting words and send Xi Chen away. With this precedent, she didn't want to see Xi Chen again and intended to avoid him recently.
She called out, "Jun Yelan, I think we both need to keep our distance..." As she spoke, she noticed Jun Yelan's distracted look and asked, "What's wrong all of a sudden?"
Seeing that Lan Yan was still thinking about the earlier events, Jun Yelan's eyes deepened. He grasped Lan Yan's wrist, drew her closer, and looked at the face and eyes before him.
He wanted Lan Yan to have only him in her eyes and heart; he had become greedy. He pressed the back of Lan Yan's head and kissed her lips directly.
Lan Yan's pupils widened in shock. She was kissing Jun Yelan! But she didn't dislike it. She calmed herself down and gradually accepted the kiss.
After a long while, Jun Yelan released her. Seeing her flushed cheeks and the imprint on her lips, he smiled. "Yan'er."
Hearing his deep voice, Lan Yan buried her head in Jun Yelan's embrace. Without looking in a mirror, she knew what she looked like and didn't want to speak for a moment.
Jun Yelan's laughter echoed from above. He caressed Lan Yan's back and gently asked, "Yan'er, are you shy?"
"You, you're asking the obvious," Lan Yan bit her lip and turned to leave.
Jun Yelan grabbed her waist and said with a smile, "Yes." He held the person in his arms tightly at that moment, knowing that Lan Yan had feelings for him. He had never been this happy!
He had wanted more, but fearing he might startle Lan Yan, he decided to take things slowly.
Later, Lan Yan returned to her room to sleep, but lying in bed, she couldn't fall asleep. "System, I do have feelings for him." Moreover, many scenes had flashed through her mind just now, but she couldn't grasp any of them.
The system responded, "Host's mission is almost complete." It had watched the host come this far, witnessing these two people fall in love repeatedly. It suddenly felt that human emotions were too powerful.
It was just a machine, yet it felt touched. However, because it had given the host medicine last time, its level had dropped, and it could no longer manage the progress in real-time. Everything depended on the host.
Lan Yan smiled and said, "I feel the same. System, thank you for always being with me." She pulled the covers up and drifted off to sleep.
The system looked at the sleeping Lan Yan and said, "Host, I'm sorry."
The next morning, Lan Yan continued to attend the morning court.
Jun Yelan began to manage the affairs of the six palaces. He had now accepted his identity and naturally had to do what was required. He tidied up the palace and asked Mei Dong, "What about that prince?"
Mei Dong looked troubled. "He dislikes the prepared tea and clothes. He has sent back several replacements. She had not brought out any valuable items; according to the Empress, all the good ones were kept for the secondary consort."
Jun Yelan tapped the table and said, "Summon him." It was inconvenient for Lan Yan to handle this, but since he was in the palace with Xi Chen, it was simple.
A moment later, Xi Chen was brought in. Seeing that Lan Yan was not present, he looked disappointed. He only saw Jun Yelan and asked, "Why did you summon me?"
Jun Yelan said coldly, "I heard that Prince Xi Chen is dissatisfied with the living conditions. As the master of the six palaces, it is my duty to address this matter. The Empress advocates for frugality, so naturally, it cannot compare to the extravagance of your Hao Kingdom."
"If you don't like it, I advise you to return soon." He let out a cold snort, showing no favor to Xi Chen.
Xi Chen's face turned ugly. Jun Yelan was asserting his authority. "Jun Yelan, you are not the master yet."
Jun Yelan's eyes darkened. "Prince Xi Chen truly likes to cause trouble. I heard you've broken many things. According to palace rules, you will kneel here for the entire morning."
"Jun Yelan, how dare you!" As Xi Chen continued to shout, Jun Yelan kicked his knee, forcing him to kneel on the ground.