And these past few days, whenever he found himself at leisure, his mind would conjure the graceful figure of a woman taming a horse.
It was a pity that the figure was already someone else’s wife.
Married to Xiao Changyi.
The likelihood of him attaining her was pitifully small.
However, if one day he unified the world, and if at that time he still desired her, he would certainly kill Xiao Changyi and take her for himself.
Even as he harbored such intentions, Dongfang Tianyang did not show the slightest hint on his face.
An Jing and Xiao Changyi were unaware of the thoughts hidden in Dongfang Tianyang’s heart; they simply took him around the Imperial Capital for a stroll.
At noon, An Jing and Xiao Changyi even took Dongfang Tianyang to the most famous restaurant in the Imperial Capital for a meal.
During the meal, Dongfang Tianyang laughed, "Your Imperial Capital is lively and prosperous, but I wonder what lies outside the Capital. How about you take Tianyang to see outside the city after this?"
As he was sent by the Emperor of Dongqing to engage in friendly exchanges, and because his request was not excessive, An Jing and Xiao Changyi did not refuse.
Outside of the Imperial Capital, the mountains were green and the waters were clear. Dongfang Tianyang stood on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the water below and the mountain opposite, the fragrance of wildflowers wafting in the breeze, making him feel refreshed and at peace.
An Jing and Xiao Changyi had not left the city for a while, and now, seeing the verdant mountains and clear waters, they felt an unusual sense of closeness. At the same time, their hearts were especially calm, and they particularly enjoyed this moment.
Dongfang Tianyang noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the interlocked fingers of An Jing and Xiao Changyi, as well as the occasional glances they exchanged. In those glances, it seemed as though each only had eyes for the other, as if the rest of the world ceased to exist. This made Dongfang Tianyang both envious and jealous.
Originally, he had wanted to take the opportunity to see An Jing and talk to her, but even though he indeed saw her and spoke with her, it only made his own heart grow increasingly uncomfortable.
He had never seen a couple as loving as An Jing and Xiao Changyi.
A love so deep he wanted to destroy it with his own hands.
But reason told him that it was not yet time. He still needed to bide his time, until Dongqing was his, until the whole world was his.
"Seventh Prince, it’s getting late. We should head back," said An Jing with a smile after standing for a while, suggesting it was time to return.
They were outside the city, and by the time they entered and reached home, it would probably be dark.
"Alright," Dongfang Tianyang replied with a smile and nodded, turning around to walk back towards the Imperial Capital with them.
However, halfway back to the Imperial Capital, they encountered about a dozen masked men in black, brandishing swords and emerging from the surroundings, charging towards them with murderous intent.
"Protect the Seventh Prince!" Xiao Changyi ordered the guards accompanying them to shield Dongfang Tianyang.
As a Prince of Dongqing Kingdom, if any harm came to him in Xiyun, it could potentially lead to war between the two nations.
Just like the Emperor of Xiyun, Xiao Changyi did not favor war, and neither did An Jing.
At this moment, Xiao Changyi and An Jing’s sole mission was to protect Dongfang Tianyang, to ensure no harm would come to him.
Xiao Changyi and An Jing stood side by side at the forefront, devoid of any fear, their demeanor and poise displaying their proud and unyielding spirit.
Their garments fluttered in the wind as Xiao Changyi and An Jing first exchanged a look before turning their attention toward the dozen or so masked assailants rushing at them.
Their eyes were extremely piercing.
"Who are you?" An Jing demanded sternly of the masked men.