Chapter 346 - Clamoring Alliance

Following his father's "orders", Zhao Chang begrudgingly made his way out of the palace. It was not that he had given up on Prince Yi's campaign, it was just that he could not push his father too far. Otherwise, that old man might really disown him if pushed too much. After all, the old man had already put on a show of marrying a second young wife last year to give him a "good" son, and probably a new daughter now that Zhao Lan was also proving to be a "disappointment" as he called them. 

Since his father refused to be useful, Zhao Chang had to think of another avenue but he was honestly not very good at thinking. Usually, whenever he had things to think about, he just went to Prince Yi and got a solution. Prince Yi always patiently listened to him and gave him candid advice and would even often advocated for his stupid father who did not understand how to appreciate people.

Zhao Chang wearily sighed. 

{... It would have been good if Shan were here, he would know what to do...}

Thinking of that, made him sigh again. He had considered trying to find his way into the palace prison to talk to Prince Yi so they could work out something together. But, unfortunately, Zhao Chang had no contacts in the palace, that was another aspect that Prince Yi handled for him. 

As Zhao Chang lamented, finally incompetence, he glanced up and his hope was reignited. He would have never thought of this himself, but obviously, the heavens smiled on him and delivered the answer to him. He jogged forward as he called out to the group way ahead of him on the path, "Hey, wait, wait...I said stop! Yong!"

Lei Yong raised an eyebrow at his name and stopped, turning back with a raised eyebrow, as his group made way for this unlikely halting presence. Zhao Chang stopped and put his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. It had just been a short run but it was grueling enough for him.

{...I really need to get in better shape...}

"I need your help." Zhao Chang finally said, straightening up. 

Lei Yong raised a questioning eyebrow, "I wasn't aware there was anything that I could possibly help you with..." 

"It's important..." Zhao Chang said, knitting his brows as he glanced at the men with Lei Yong and added, "...in private." As he grabbed and pulled Lei Yong, who irritatedly followed along to the side. This "important" matter of his was definitely not hard to guess.

Zhao Chang awkwardly smiled and said, "We should not allow the enmity between our fathers to affect us... You know you and I once used to be great friends. I don't even remember how we grew apart." He finished with a lamenting sigh.

Lei Yong inwardly scoffed in disbelief, he remembered. It was when Zhao Chang began following the Crown prince like a puppy being rude and looking down on Jun Kai. Jun Kai never bothered to respond to any of the taunts and rude behavior of his brothers and their cohorts, which was even more infuriating to Lei Yong. How Zhao Chang later switched his object of attachment to Prince Yi was another mystery in itself.

Lei Yong sighed and then flatly said, "I am not going to plead on his behalf -"

"Oh, no, no, no. That's not what I'm asking at all." Zhao Chang quickly said, waving his hands with a smile.

"Then what do you want? I'm very busy." Lei Yong said, already tired of this conversation.

"Take me to the prison -"

"No." Lei Yong flatly responded, cutting him off and promptly turning to return to his men. Zhao Chang panicked and grabbed his arm, "I am not saying you should help me help him escape. I just want to talk to him, you can even come along -"

"I just told you I'm busy -"

"I'm also very busy!" Zhao Chang irritatedly exclaimed, causing Lei Yong to cast him another dubious look. They both knew that despite his father's efforts, he had trouble holding onto any job position, he was renowned as a loafer going and coming as he pleases with no responsibilities. 

Zhao Chang cleared his throat and amended his approach, "One minute and I'll owe you a great deal, no, he'll owe you a great deal!" He added, realizing that just his credit did not have enough weight.

Lei Yong sighed, "Look, you should go home and forget about him before you get yourself and your fami -"

"Family! Yes!" Zhao Chang suddenly exclaimed, causing Lei Yong to frown in irritation. It seemed Zhao Chang was finally running mad, but Zhao Chang proved he was thinking clearer than ever when he narrowed his eyes at Lei Yong and said, "In fact, you do owe him."

"What?" Lei Yong asked with a frown, shrugging his arm free and starting to move back to the group but Zhao Chang was relentless and fell into step beside him, talking quickly, "Didn't he save your sister from a snake or something?! Even if she is married, she is still your sister. Her debts are yours too. You should pay for your debts!"

When Lei Yong just frowned and quickened his pace, Zhao Chang pushed even further, pleadingly, "Just one, one minute, it won't kill you. That Emperor too will understand, isn't she his latest most prized possession? If not for my Shan, she could have broken a hip or worse, her head! Then where would we be? Not to mention, he almost died from that unknown illness and was bedridden for a month because of saving YOUR sister, and yet you can't sacrifice one minute, just one for him to see a familiar face in all this confusion. One minute, you can even count the seconds!... Just one. One. Yong, don't be like this, I know you're good at heart. You don't owe debts. One minute, one..."

***

"I said I'm not eating. Take it away!" Princess Nalan irritatedly ordered, folding her arms and looking away from the table.

Xiao Ruo's lips twitched but she cordially responded, "Your highness, you haven't eaten or drank anything today... If you're not worried for yourself then at least for the baby."

Princess Nalan knit her brows as if in thought for a moment, before she slightly shook her head and folded her arms, glaring at Xiao Ruo as menacingly bit out, "I said. Take. It. Away."

Xiao Ruo slightly jumped before straightening her shoulders and motioning for the maids to clear the table. She was the Empress's right hand and therefore had to represent this in her bearing. She could not be whimpering in public before anyone else. 

Lei Xing had asked her to look after this Princess, but she was becoming increasingly difficult, not that she could blame her. But why take it out on herself and the baby? She had already refused to eat both breakfast and lunch and now, dinner too. Xiao Ruo wanted to continue to insist but Princess Nalan looked near ready to beat her up. After the incidents of the day, Xiao Ruo did not fear that she would. 

Even crying did not work on Princess Nalan, Xiao Ruo had tried the kneeling and nag cry bit that always worked on Lei Xing and Princess Nalan had hauled the plates in her direction, before flying over, grabbing her by the collar and tossing her out of the room.

Suffice to say, Xiao Ruo, like all the other servants, was terrified of Princess Nalan. 

Lei Xing arrived at Princess Nalan's bedroom doors to see the maids carrying out the untouched plates of food. Lei Xing inwardly sighed and braced herself for another round of trouble before walking into the room.

Xiao Ruo's face immediately lit up when she saw Lei Xing and she promptly ran over to her side. She stopped short of actually grabbing Lei Xing's arm, but her bullied expression communicated to Lei Xing all she needed to know.

"So...Is he released yet?" Princess Nalan asked, narrowing her eyes at Lei Xing. 

Lei Xing let out a breath and sat down across from her on the table and calmly said, "You know it can't be that simple..."

"You said you -"

"And I have." Lei Xing calmly cut in, "But you must understand that while I can talk to the Emperor, I do not control him. But -" She raised her hand to silence Princess Nalan just as she opened her mouth, " - I can and will continue to work on your behalf so long as you do not cause another ruckus."

Princess Nalan settled back in her chair, impatiently tapping her foot on the ground as she suspiciously looked Lei Xing over, "Hey, why are you so invested in this?"

Lei Xing blinked and opened her mouth in disbelief, feeling the sudden urge to bash Princess Nalan's head in. Lei Xing took a deep breath to calm herself.

{... It's okay, irrational does as irrational is -_-)'...}

"You asked me to." Lei Xing said as calmly as she could muster while frowning at Princess Nalan in obvious irritation.

Princess Nalan looked at her for a bit longer, before haughtily turning her head to the side with a curt, "I see."

"Why aren't you eating?" Lei Xing asked after a bit of awkward silence.

"Hmph, what do you care?" Princess Nalan scoffed, then she frowned at Lei Xing and added, "I'll eat when my husband is free..."

Lei Xing inwardly sighed, truth was she had actually not talked to the Emperor about anything related to this matter. But she did not have to, after the "deep" sleep issue last night, she and the Emperor had talked for a long time and had talked their way up to the current events. The Emperor did not plan to execute Prince Yi - well, not to her knowledge and she did not think he would lie to her about that. 

Furthermore, while the Emperor may not intend to Kill Prince Yi, if pushed, he might just decide that killing him was the less irritating option. Given how touchy the Emperor was when it came to issues relating to her "involvement" with Prince Yi, Lei Xing advocating for him might just backfire rather than aid. Even Princess Nalan who had basically ASKED her to help was idiotically suspicious of her motives for "rendering" said help. 

Lei Xing could honestly not understand how these people thought things through, but she knew better than to go poking the Emperor when he was already stressed. Therefore, Lei Xing smartly concluded that it was best for her peace of mind, to leave the Emperor alone and let everything run its intended course. Handling Princess Nalan was already enough of a headache for her. With regards to this issue, she had thought of a solution. 

While she could not outrightly tell Princess Nalan what the Emperor had told her in confidence, she could offer some solid "advice" that would steer her mind on a much more peaceful path. So Lei Xing motioned to Xiao Ruo and Ah jin and they both quietly left the room under Princess Nalan's suspicious gaze to which Lei Xing simply responded with a smile. 

Once the doors were closed, Lei Xing calmly began, "Nalan... I remember you saying you didn't like it here, has that changed?"