Quick Wear: Oh no, the lady is running away with the ball again

Chapter 213 The Living Abandoned Empress of the Cold Palace X The Invading Unruly Buddhist Son 47

The sky in the capital finally brightened today.

Yun Piao still hadn't woken up. Three days had passed. Qi Heyao had been very busy recently, and all the affairs of the court suddenly fell on his shoulders.

At this moment, Qi Heyao sat at the desk in the East Palace, rubbing his forehead, his mind in turmoil. He was a little confused as to where all the harsh criticisms against him came from.

Perhaps it was simply because they each had their own supporters, calculating against each other and harboring their own selfish motives, that they always focused their attention on him, finding fault and making things difficult for him. This thought chilled him, but what truly troubled him was something else—the olive branch extended by the eldest princess.

Although this aunt was his closest relative, she was never an elder he liked.

Qi Heyao knew in his heart that she was arrogant and domineering, and was used to using her power to oppress others, especially when facing Queen Yun, she always liked to confront her head-on.

But no matter how she struggled, her methods seemed clumsy and ridiculous, like a moth flying into a flame without knowing her own limitations.

At first, Qi Heyao was unmoved by her overtures. While the eldest princess had a group of royal family supporters behind her, he saw them as nothing more than a bunch of self-serving, incompetent individuals whose sole aim was to win him over and force Empress Yun to abdicate. He saw through their motives immediately. Furthermore, the eldest princess's conditional offer further irked him: she wanted to marry her daughter, the Princess of Nanhua, to him, and she wanted the position of principal wife.

Qi Heyao felt a headache just thinking about this. He had never liked his cousin, and there was no way he would give up the position of Crown Princess to her. So, he rejected the eldest princess without hesitation.

Yet the eldest princess persisted, repeatedly visiting him personally and even offering enormous benefits—she was willing to trade the rich gold mines on her fiefdom for her daughter's marriage. Upon hearing this, Qi Heyao remained unmoved. The gold mines were important, but if it meant a disagreeable cousin and a forced marriage of power, he preferred it to none.

Just as he was thinking about it, he actually arrived again. He felt confused when he heard the eunuch's shrill voice below, announcing the arrival of the eldest princess.

Just when Qi Chuhua was about to persuade him with reason and emotion, he finally interrupted impatiently.

"Aunt, you should go back." He said politely but coldly, "Cousin... Yuxue is smart and will definitely find a good match in the future. There's no need to waste your time on me."

Upon hearing this, Qi Chuhua's smile froze for a moment, but then he recovered and spoke with a hint of probing in his tone, "He Yao, why are you doing this? Is the person you're thinking about so much really so devoted to you? Don't forget, her first concern is that woman, Queen Yun, and her uncles and brothers."

Qi Chuhua's meaning was very clear. He was reminding him that Yun Qian came from a poor family and was a girl from a noble family, so she would consider her family's interests.

Qi Heyao's eyes darkened, as if a hidden sore spot had been touched. Seeing this, Qi Chuhua continued to press, "But don't worry. Soon, your worries will be resolved, whether it's her or the Yun family—as long as you promise your aunt that Nanhua will become the queen in the future."

Qi Heyao's eyes suddenly turned cold as he stared at Qi Chuhua. For the first time, he felt the urge to chase him away. He didn't understand why this woman was so persistent in giving him her daughter. Did she think power could be secured through in-laws?

She was wrong. Not to mention her and her daughter, even if it was Yun Qian, he would never let her get involved in power in the future. He would not share his power with anyone. This kind of thing, he did not want to share with others.

"Aunt," Qi Heyao's voice was low and filled with anger, "What do you mean by worry?" His eyes were as sharp as a knife.

Seeing that she didn't answer, the speculation in his heart became even louder, "Did you attack Yun Qian?"

The moment these words left his mouth, the air seemed to freeze. Qi Chuhua felt a chill run down his spine under his gaze, and subconsciously tried to avoid his gaze and stop talking. Qi Heyao confirmed his suspicions almost instantly. Uncontrollable anger welled up in his chest, and he swept his sleeves aside, leaving behind him.

Standing in the empty hall of the East Palace, his heart was in turmoil. Anger, fear, and regret intertwined like a tsunami, sweeping through every inch of his mind. He didn't dare to think about what he would do if Yun Qian really got into trouble.

Her every smile and frown, her coldness and cunning, were all so vividly engraved in his mind. He thought he could control everything, but now, the feeling of being out of control was slowly swallowing him up.

He hurried to send a message to his leading subordinates, asking about the news at the West Mountain Pond.

"Yun Qian..." He murmured softly, his clenched fists trembling slightly from the excessive force. He couldn't lose her, either as a person or as her heart.

Qi Heyao had never felt so angry before. Standing in the hall of the East Palace, he almost wanted to explode. This idiot, when he came to power, he would definitely drive her and her useless husband to their fiefdoms, and never allow them to enter the capital again or interfere in state affairs.

This was the first time he hated his own incompetence so much. He couldn't break up with her. The royal family power she represented was also very important to him, but he just ignored it. So what? He was the rightful crown prince.

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Yun Qian was wearing a dark crimson long dress today, embroidered with cloud patterns and gold thread. She looked understated yet dignified. A thin tassel belt around her waist swayed gently with her movements.

She left the West Mountain Pond unscathed, not wanting to delay any longer. After all, according to her original plan, she had wanted to grab her things and return, but Qi Jueyu had forced her to rest here for a night. Yun Qian thought so too. Rushing back now wouldn't be an option. It would be better to rest up before continuing on her journey.

Besides... she felt that if she wanted to understand the crux of the bond with the Dzi beads, she would probably have to ask Qi Jueyu. She felt that he must know something.

……

The chill of the night crept into the bedroom, as if even the air itself was chilled. Yun Qian huddled in her quilt, her hands and feet cold. Unable to resist, she slid closer to the man beside her. His body was like a furnace, its warmth comforting.

Qi Jueyu didn't move, simply lying there, breathing steadily, letting her approach like a small animal craving warmth. His unique scent, with a hint of sandalwood, formed a sharp contrast with the chill in the bedroom, making Yun Qian unable to help but take a deep breath, as if this would absorb more warmth.

Yun Qian's body had been poorly cared for by the previous Yun Qian. She checked her pulse and found her Qi and blood were somewhat deficient, so when the weather got cold, her hands and feet also became cold. Fortunately, she now had a hot water bottle, which worked quite well and could provide a continuous warmth.