Lan Jinqin was caught off guard by the rhetorical question. She blushed involuntarily and didn't even dare to look into Xiao Rencheng's eyes.
In fact, she was just in no mood today because of the blow. Although she was a concubine, she shouldn't refuse if her master wanted to have fun.
But to be fair, Xiao Rencheng was extremely gentle in bed, with both patience and endurance.
After those two times, she actually had a very good experience. Her attitude had changed from perfunctory to enjoyment.
But how could she say this out loud? How could she answer Xiao Rencheng's question?
Seeing that she refused to look at him, Xiao Rencheng wasn't angry. He continued, "Although I don't dare to claim to be a gentleman, I will never take advantage of others. In the future, if madam is not willing, just say no directly."
Xiao Rencheng's expression was calm. "Madam doesn't need to be on guard against me all the time, nor do you need to come up with excuses to fend me off like you did when you were with Wen Zilong."
Lan Jinqin finally looked up at him again, hesitating. "I..."
She wanted to say that she wasn't really unwilling and that this was fine.
But she stopped herself and thought about what Xiao Rencheng had just said.
If she said she was unwilling, would Xiao Rencheng really do as he said and not force her?
Could a man really be that self - disciplined?
In the end, she didn't say it. She curled up silently in his arms. Her half - closed eyes showed speculation. The noisy rain couldn't compare to the chaos in her heart at this moment.
The rain lasted for three days.
Everyone was extremely anxious.
Except for Prince Song Chengyuan, who came to sneer every day, no one else dared to get close.
Because Prince Yan was kneeling outside Chengde Hall, all the officials on their way to court walked quickly with their heads down, not daring to make a sound or take an extra look.
In the past two days, there had been a large number of people coming and going to the Imperial Study to remonstrate, which annoyed Emperor Guangwu. He simply suspended the court, stopped dealing with government affairs, and didn't want to see anyone.
The remonstrators were dumbfounded and didn't know what to do.
It had been raining so heavily for three days. Even an iron - bodied person couldn't stand it!
Eunuch Cen was extremely anxious and kept running back and forth between the Imperial Study and Chengde Hall.
"Alas! My good highness, please admit your mistake!" Eunuch Cen watched these royal father and son being so stubborn and was extremely worried. "If something happens to you while you're kneeling... What will happen to the whole family of the Prince Yan's Mansion and your 200,000 Yan troops?"
Song Yinghuai's face was deathly pale. His breathing became weak in the rain. Although his kneeling posture remained the same, Eunuch Cen could see the veins on his temples and hands bulging, and his lower lip was bitten blue.
"Alas! This won't do. I still have to go and persuade the emperor. Someone's going to die!" After saying that, Eunuch Cen turned around and was about to leave, but he bumped into a wall of flesh. He almost fell on his back, and the umbrella in his hand flew out.
Xu Ziyi quickly reached out to support Eunuch Cen and said with a smile, "Thank you, father - in - law, for your trouble running back and forth. There's no need to go. The emperor has already granted Prince Yan permission to return to his mansion."
These words not only made Eunuch Cen overjoyed but also made Song Yinghuai raise his eyes in surprise.
Under the downpour, not far away, Xiao Rencheng, Xu Buyue, and an old man were all standing under oil - paper umbrellas.
The old man had graying hair and beard, but he didn't look old at all. His weather - beaten face showed an unusual flush. His two eyes were bright, shooting out two piercing glints.
"Duke Xu!" Song Yinghuai blurted out in surprise.
That's right. The person who came was Xu Ying, the Duke of Dingguo, who hadn't been to court for a long time.
Xu Ying laughed heartily. His voice was loud and clear. "Quick, help Prince Yan up first."
Xu Buyue and Xiao Rencheng quickly stepped forward to help Song Yinghuai up. Eunuch Cen also quickly held up an umbrella over his head.
So it was the Duke of Dingguo who came. No wonder the emperor gave him face and forgave Prince Yan.
"Fourth brother, are you okay?" Xu Buyue supported Song Yinghuai and asked worriedly. "When I heard from Lord Xiao about the emperor's anger, I quickly begged my second brother to accompany me to Yangzhou to invite father back to the capital."
Xu Ziyi gritted his teeth. "I couldn't hold back my sister..."
Of course, they also had to thank Xiao Rencheng for "accidentally" revealing the news.
Song Yinghuai barely propped up his body. He felt that his knees had completely lost their sensation. If it weren't for someone supporting him, he might have fallen down again.
He met Xu Buyue's affectionate eyes and nodded slightly to thank her politely. "Thank you, princess. I'm fine. I'm really ashamed to have troubled the duke because of such a small matter."
"Your highness, you're welcome. I really admire your act of saving the loyal and virtuous." Xu Ying waved his hand boldly. "But back then, I couldn't save my dear brother Lan. Even now... Alas, your highness, I still have to advise you that some things are just the tip of the iceberg. Don't be too persistent!"
Hearing this, Song Yinghuai's eyes flickered.
Xu Ying's words had a hidden meaning. The matter of the Lan family might not be as simple as they thought.
If the Duke of Dingguo had intervened in this matter back then but still couldn't do anything about it, what could be the reason?
But with the prince's ability, it was far from enough to make the Duke of Dingguo unable to compete.
So this matter...
He suddenly felt that his throat was blocked by the assumptions in his mind. His heart was beating so fast that it seemed to burst out of his chest. His chest felt like it was tightly blocked by cotton wool, and his breathing lost all rhythm.
How could this happen?
Could it be what he was thinking?
Song Yinghuai looked up. His handsome face became even paler. "Does the duke mean..."
If this was the case, if this was really the case...
Then the case of the Lan family could never be reversed?
Xu Ying sighed. His thick and wrinkled hand patted Song Yinghuai heavily on the shoulder. Then he walked past him, leaving a few words in the rain.
"For more than thirty years since the founding of the Great Ye Dynasty, only a few of the six dukes and twenty - eight marquises from back then remain. Back then, who among them didn't fight side by side with the emperor on this bloody path? Brother Lan was too straightforward in his nature, and his brother - in - law kept causing trouble..."
"I can read the books of sages, but I can't control the affairs outside the window. I feel pity, but I also stand by and do nothing. I understand the principles of the world, but I can't change the current situation. This kind of helplessness, your highness, who is well - versed in the situation of the court, you understand."
Song Yinghuai's tall body swayed. He leaned on Xiao Rencheng's shoulder, who was also extremely shocked.
The two looked into each other's eyes. Beyond each other, they seemed to see the continuous fog on the road ahead with no end in sight.
Xu Ying's words were like thunder, ringing in their hearts.
Indeed, among the six dukes and twenty - eight marquises of the Great Ye Dynasty, who wasn't a person of great merit?
Since Marquis Yongchang Lan Yuanyi was executed, these people who used to be at the peak of power had gradually withdrawn from the political stage.
Some feigned illness and refused to go to court. Some retired to their hometowns. Some voluntarily handed over their military power... These were just the lucky and very few.
Most of them either died suddenly, were seriously ill, or were executed for treason...
Among these founding heroes, only the Xu family managed to preserve their glory. One had to admire the Xu family's methods. They knew how to balance things and never put themselves in the limelight, unlike the Lan family, which always stood out, killing enemies, impeaching treacherous officials, and relieving the victims of disasters. They did all the things that were admired by the people.
And for generations, when a king wanted to take back power, he would surely start with the most prominent person.
The Great Ye Dynasty had been in constant turmoil for decades. The Xu family seemed to be mediocre and never took on extra matters, but they could always avoid disasters. These couldn't be just luck.
It was even lucky that the main branch of the Lan family managed to keep their lives during this great purge and were only exiled.
Xiao Rencheng supported Song Yinghuai. Suddenly, he felt a bitter taste in his mouth. "Your highness, it seems that we made a wrong move and underestimated our opponent..."
If this was the case, would it push the Lan family into a deeper abyss?
Song Yinghuai was on the verge of collapse. He looked up at the still - pouring rain from the sky and suddenly smiled bitterly.
"I have a compassionate heart, but I don't have the means to save the world. Brother Xiao, can we still protect our women?"