Chapter 59 - Marriage.

Chapter 59: Marriage.

Due to Jiang FuYuan’s recent traumatic event, Yan Luan decided to stay over at the palace to accompany and comfort her best friend.

During dinner time, halfway through their meal, Emperor QiLing finally arrived, though fashionably late. It was obvious that the loss of their first child had caused a huge impact on him as his usual gentle and warm demeanor was now stained with a hint of darkness and gloom.

“I(Emperor) met with Cousin Jiang this evening, he mentioned that uncle is recovering healthily so feel free to accompany Ah Yuan here for as long as you like.”

Yan Luan instantly noticed the way Yuan Jun referred to her best friend, not a mere “my queen”, but her maiden nickname… It’s obvious that he’s utterly in love with Jiang FuYuan.

“Yes…… Your Majesty must also take care of yourself.”

Emperor QiLing nodded slightly, his stiff facial expression softening as he glanced warmly at Jiang FuYuan. The miscarriage had taken a toll on him, and it had also made him realized that he could no longer stay in a passive role. Princess YongKang’s letter to bring back the Yan Brothers was his idea, as he had always admired Yan Jiang a lot ever since he was a child, and Yan Jing was the only man he could ask for help right now.

The stay at the palace turned out to be much longer than Yan Luan had previously thought, but the good news was that Yan Jing would visit her every single day, and today was not an exception.

When he arrived, Yan Luan was lazing comfortably against the windowsill, glancing dreamily at the structures of the majestic palace.

“The weather is turning cold, remember to keep warm at all times. Let me know when you got sick of staying at the palace, I will always come for you, and I will take you home.” He reminded her gently as they took a walk through the palace grounds, mindfully blocking the slightly chilly breeze from even touching his precious sister.

“I’ll return in a few days, though, I heard rumors that father intends to pass you the title of the Lord?” Yan Luan nodded quietly as she lazed against his warm chest.

Emperor QiLing had been sharing the news of the court with them whenever he came over to check up on Jiang FuYuan. She had even heard about Yan Jing’s feats of suppressing Wang Yong in every ways possible.

As for Yan Rong, as soon as he rose from his coma, he had instantly passed down his title and the military seal to Yan Jing, which officially made him the Lord of House Yan.

He caressed her forehead lovingly before grunting in respond, “En, these few years had been difficult and unhappy for Mother, I intend to send her back to Heng Guo for retirement.”

Yan Rong had never been a good husband, nor had he been a good father. No one knew if he truly loved Bian Shi, or was he only using it as a trigger to resist Princess YongKang, but it was obvious that he was an ambitious man, as he had bought and raised a huge group of fine troops throughout the years.

To think that he would willingly pass on his power and authority to Yan Jing right after he recovered from the coma… Perhaps surviving a near-death experience finally allowed him to clear his thoughts.

“We are ten days away from Ah Luan’s fourteenth birthday, we plan to host a majestic feast to celebrate.” His deep and gentle voice sounded once again near her ears.

Slightly lifting her face towards him, her bright eyes meeting his, she smiled slightly as she noticed the attentiveness within his eyes, which were bursting with a fondness for her, so much that she felt as if she could drown within them.

No one would’ve guessed that the cold-blooded and blood-thirsty Yan Jing would have such a gentle side.

“Elder brother, I love both of you, so much……”

Her words were uncalled for, but Yan Jing’s gentle expressions turned instantly into that of utter glee, so much so that it somewhat hurts her heart just by watching him, she had wanted to say these words way earlier, but for some reasons, she had not.

“A…Ah Luan, please repeat that, I beg of you.” His shaky words sounded once again, the excitement causing him to finally lose his gentle and calm demeanor.

“I said, I love you and second brother, forever and always.”

This time, her words were said firmly and with confidence, allowing Yan Jing to hear it clearly and to feel the seriousness in her tone.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, giving her a tight hug before touching his lips onto her forehead and marking her with a soft kiss.

“We love you too, forever and always.”

His breathing was somewhat unstable, and his arms were somewhat shaky as they hugged her tightly from behind.

Perhaps, he had never expected to hear these words from me… Yan Luan shut her eyes as she reciprocated his hug in silence, while occasionally feeling his hot tears dripping down her cheeks.

It was a blessing from the heavens to meet and live among them once again in this lifetime, and there was nothing she wouldn’t do to protect it.

When she finally returned to QiFeng Gong (Empress’s Palace), she ran into Jiang FuYuan, who was just returning from Queen Dowager Chi’s palace.

Her tired and worn down demeanor had worsened significantly as anger filled throughout her entire face, unable to speak until she had down a few cups of tea.

“To think that she’s in such a hurry to marry that bitch Chu YunShang into House Wang, does it not concern her that House Wang might turn into a feral wolf and bite her in the arse?” Jiang FuYuan ranted in anger.

“Calm down, all she cares about is to get House Wang on her side, nothing more.”

Due to her miscarriage, Jiang FuYuan’s hatred towards House Wang was at its peak.

Even Emperor QiLing, who had always been a good child and a passive emperor to Queen Dowager Chu, had started to voice out his powers and authority at court with the help of Yan Jing.

Their actions had caused Queen Dowager Chu to react in panic, hencewhy she was now putting all of her hope into Chu YunShang, hoping to sooth House Wang’s anger and ambitions for the throne.

An utterly idiotic move.

“How can I not be angry? Though her influence is not as wide as before, she still holds some of the more important cards in the country… And to think that at such a time, she would still choose herself over her own son! What kind of mother does that!?”

Yan Luan sighed softly, “This is why, being too ambitious is not a good thing.”

Queen Dowager Chu’s wild ambitions had caused her to murder her own husband in cold blood, and to raise her own son into the puppet emperor she wanted… Yan Rong’s ambitions had caused him to break his promises towards his childhood fiancé, Bian Shi, in order to marry into the princess’s household, all just because it would provide him with a high and mighty title and position……

“Come to think of it, of all the people we should be wary of, Chu YunShang definitely owns a high placing.” She would never forget what she recalled from her past life.

Chu YunShang had always been in love with Yan Jing, but after realizing that his heart will never be hers, her love for him had eventually turned into utter hatred.

She had even used unspeakable tricks to enter the palace as a concubine, just to bear Yan Jing’s son, before mimicking her own aunt by killing Yan Jing after her son was born… But her plans had failed when the baby turned out to be a princess.

Her evil plans were eventually found out and she was chased out of the palace.

She later made plans to meet up with Yan Fei, successfully coaxing her into poisoning Yan Luan, which eventually led to her own death in the past life.

And in this lifetime, due to the fact that she knew what would happen in the future, Chu YunShang chose time team up with House Wang to avenge her own death in their previous life.

Jiang FuYuan nodded her head agreement, “That’s right! You said she might’ve been a Reborn, right? That means she might know too much, we should take her out as soon as possible.” She frowned slightly, “Furthermore, she’s been acting like a crazed dog, baring her fangs at you whenever she could…”

Yan Luan sighed in resign as she massaged her temples, she did not tell her friend about her newly regained memories of their past lives, and the fact that Chu YunShang’s hatred for her could never be dispersed.

Though one thing is certain, that woman is destined to be an enemy of her house, whigh was why she should really consider what Jiang FuYuan had said…

“It’s not difficult to get rid of her, we could do it anytime.”

Yan Luan knew for a fact that she would show her no mercy if she dared reach out her poisonous claws towards Yan Jing in this lifetime.

Coincidentally, Chu YunShang’s wedding was scheduled to be on the same day as Yan Luan’s birthday, and as if intending to show how serious she was about the marriage, Queen Dowager Chu had even sent out a royal decree to name Chu YunShang as BeiXiang JunZhu (Princess BeiXiang), together with one hundred and eight crates of dowry as blessings for her marriage into House Wang.

Yan Luan was watching her second brother’s morning sword practice when the news arrived at HuaiYin HouFu, she had always known that Yan Dao was much more adept with welding a knife than a sword, but it was until today that she truly understood how skilled he was with a knife.

“Second brother, your way with the knife is quite the exquisite view, it looks so powerful!”

“I learned it in BeiJiang back in the days.” Yan Dao answered coolly and he wiped off the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand while holding the big and long knife with his other. His demeanor was somewhat barbaric, not even his handsome features could hide the nature aura of a hunter within him.

“Bend down a little, I can’t reach your forehead.”

Yan Dao was tall for a nineteen year old, as he was at his prime, giving her no choice but to tiptoe steadily if she wished to wipe the sweat off his foreheads.

“Hmph~” She huffed softly, pouting her supple red lips as she noticed the teasing glint deep within his eyes.