The first night, Su Yan thought she would have to sleep on the floor, and she prepared plenty of bedding to lay on the ground.
When Xuanyuan Yonghao learned of her intentions, he held her and laughed for a long time.
Eventually, he pulled her into bed.
Since that day, Su Yan’s belongings were gradually moved to the sleeping chamber by Nantang.
Within a week, everything from Su Yan’s side chamber had been transferred to his sleeping quarters.
And Xuanyuan Yonghao became increasingly unreserved in his affection for her.
One day, Su Yan went to the small kitchen to fetch some pastries and temporarily left the sleeping chamber.
Nantang entered, reporting respectfully,
"The Prime Minister believes Your Highness’s plan is too risky and has instructed me to urge you to reconsider."
Xuanyuan Yonghao sat on a chair, a book in his slender hands.
He flipped through the pages, his eyelashes trembling lightly, his cheeks pale and sickly.
A cool smile curved his lips, his voice gentle,
"It’s not that it’s too risky; he thinks there’s too much bloodshed and urges me to think it over carefully."
As his voice fell, the room returned to silence.
After a while, Xuanyuan Yonghao slowly
"Tell him, if he finds it inappropriate, I wouldn’t mind having General Lin supervise the execution."
"Yes."
After the words were spoken, Nantang still hesitated to leave.
Nantang looked up with a moment of hesitation.
Xuanyuan Yonghao lifted his eyelids,
"Speak."
Nantang clasped his hands together in salute,
"There is something I don’t understand."
"Let’s hear it."
"Su Yan is a spy sent by the Eldest Prince, Your Highness seems, to treat her a bit differently."
Nantang’s words were cautiously chosen.
In Nantang’s eyes, what the Prince felt for Su Yan was not just mere curiosity; it appeared utterly defenseless, totally disregarding her spy identity.
Initially, Nantang thought the Prince was just amused and playing along.
He didn’t care much about it.
But since that night, things seemed completely different.
The way the Prince looked at Su Yan, and the possessiveness and concern that came with each word and action, were unmistakably genuine.
All these things caused Nantang both doubt and unease.
So, he couldn’t help but finally ask.
Before asking, he didn’t forget to remind the Prince that she was a spy!!
Xuanyuan Yonghao, while flipping through the book, paused and lifted his gaze, his dark eyes deepening as he looked at Nantang,
"She is mine."
Nantang shivered inside and immediately knelt down,
"Yes."
What spy or no spy mattered not; he simply didn’t care.
Su Yan was his, and his alone.
The reason to tell Nantang... was also to warn him not to harm her.
After the inquiry, Nantang left the room.
The sleeping chamber regained its original quiet once more.
Back to Su Yan, who went to the small kitchen for pastries.
Just as she entered the small kitchen, a woman dressed as a Third-class Palace Maid walked in, bumping into her accidentally.
Then, a piece of paper silently slipped into Su Yan’s hand.
Su Yan clutched the note in her hands, blinking her eyes.
Ah, right, she was the spy sent by the Eldest Prince.
The quietness had nearly made her forget this affair.
Then, the Third-class Palace Maid gave Su Yan a deep look and turned to leave.
Su Yan clutched the note in her hand, glancing towards the direction of the door and the windows where no one was present.
She opened the note.
It had three lines of small characters,
"Find a black ledger.
It contains evidence of corruption by several court officials.
Meet behind the rockery in the Imperial Garden when the sun sets in three days."