Chapter Nine, Visitors from the Palace

As soon as she began to speak, someone suddenly brushed her nose in a teasing manner and said, "Clever."

When everyone else had left, only the two of them remained. He suddenly pulled the woman onto his lap, his tone so cold it could freeze a person: "Want to leave? Where to?"

The tone in which those words were spoken made her shiver every time she heard them

Since the matter of departure has been settled, Ye Xiaonuan also believes that a certain person will no longer endanger her, because since returning to the Li Wangfu yesterday, a certain man has not shown up again. Moreover, he has sent servants to deliver meals and everything else she temporarily needs.

It would have been better if she hadn't spoken; as soon as she did, not only did the air conditioning beside her blast cold air, but even the entire elegant room seemed inexplicably shrouded in a layer of icy mist

The exquisite walnut coffee table, though low, has an area nearly the size of a bed. The two people were whispering closely to each other, and Long Zeyu and Long Zhaofeng could not hear what they were saying at all

A duck had been consumed by her to the point of being nearly finished, her stomach feeling quite full. Ignoring the pile of duck bones at her feet, she felt an overwhelming sense of melancholy, resting her forehead on the edge of the low table, her face down as she sighed deeply.

Originally, there was nothing, and now an unwarranted enemy has been added...

Looking at the man's face, which resembled a frozen ribbon fish, Ye Xiaonuan sensed the overly dangerous atmosphere. Just as she was hesitating about how to escape, the man's voice suddenly rang in her ears: "You can leave, but in three days. After three days, I will respect your wishes."

Having offered such enticing conditions, Long Zhaofeng was clearly unable to maintain his composure after being rejected in the end. If this were to happen to someone else, even if they were to receive only a ten percent share of the profits, no one would dare to refuse assistance.

At this moment, a voice from the steward was heard outside the door: "Miss Ye, Lord Li has come on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress to specially invite you to the palace. Please come out to receive the decree."

What a lack of manpower

Am I being a bit meddlesome?

About ten guards armed with swords stood in two neat rows outside the door, resembling a row of utility poles. The person standing at the front, closest to her, held a whisk and had their black hair meticulously tied up on top of their head. Their fair face was impeccably clean and even bore a hint of the delicacy typically associated with women.

Ye Xiaonuan was preoccupied with how to avoid him, and the sudden good news made her tense nerves relax. She did not pay any attention to the profound implications in his words, nor did she notice the fleeting calculation in his eyes.

A person of his status would certainly look down on a small amount of money. If it is a legitimate business, then why not follow the proper channels instead of taking a dangerous shortcut

What was originally a normal compliment was coldly uttered from those hard, thin lips, causing Ye Xiaonuan to drop the plate in her hand with a loud crash on the ground

Now they actually tell him that there is not enough manpower

Before leaving, Long Zhaofeng glanced at Ye Xiaonuan, who was beside Long Li. A trace of coldness suddenly flashed in his slightly narrowed phoenix eyes

For her, being a person who has traversed through time, it is simply astonishing that there are still people who come to her specifically by name to seek her out

Ye Xiaonuan's beautiful eyes widened in surprise

What am I really doing? I actually went to help this person who abuses her like a beast, all for a 'duck'!

Could it be that the man heard what she said earlier, and thus his hatred for her ruined his business?

Although he did not ascend to the throne, among his many brothers, when the Emperor abdicated, he entrusted him with half of the military power of the entire Jinling Kingdom.

Long Zeyu had many things to say, but seeing Ye Xiaonuan present, he felt it was better to avoid discussing certain matters in her presence. Thus, he turned to Long Li and said, "Second Brother, I will return to the residence first. I will come to find you at home this evening"

Zhao Feng hoped that Second Brother would think it over, after all, this is a deal that guarantees profit without loss Looking at the cold face that rarely showed any emotion even after a hundred years, Long Zhao Feng's eyes gradually gathered a hint of malice He had said almost everything he needed to say, and he knew that he could not force Long Li to agree to him at this moment, so he maintained a serious expression and took his leave: "There are still matters to attend to at Zhao Feng's residence, so I will not keep you company If Second Brother has a change of heart, Zhao Feng will be at your service at any time"

Wherever I go, you need not ask further; just let me leave. Rest assured, I will not speak of our matters to anyone, and you need not worry that I will cling to you in the future and make you responsible. I will absolutely not engage in such self-deprecating behavior.

Miss Ye, the prince has gone out on business and is likely to return only after dinner

Miss Ye, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence. Please make the necessary preparations and accompany me to the palace promptly.

They do not know each other, so what does the other party ask her to do

What? Has it gone out?

Just as she was deep in thought about how to face her future life, suddenly the sound of footsteps echoed in Furong Garden, as if many people had arrived

Long Li seemed quite surprised by Ye Xiaonuan's reminder, pausing for a moment. Looking into her sparkling black eyes, he followed up with a question: "What do you mean by deception? Please elaborate."

At such a moment, seeing Long Li still in the mood to flirt with women, Long Zhao Feng naturally felt displeased, his handsome face losing its previous elegance and warmth, and his entire expression turned dark and gloomy

Wow! Did the queen invite her to the palace

He meant to respect her in three days, but he did not definitively say that he would let her go in three days

She is unable to make a decision regarding this uncertain and illusory matter, and it seems that the only person who can offer assistance is that man

That fleeting cold glance was also received by Ye Xiaonuan, who instinctively felt a sense of guilt

Long Li nodded expressionlessly

Ye Xiaonuan sat in a daze on the low couch by the window. First, she was taken aback, then startled, and immediately opened the door in disbelief, asking, "Please say that again, who is it?"

Although she did not know what business the other party was engaged in, she could infer from the words spoken by that King of Ji that it was likely not an ordinary business

Once the person left, Ye Xiaonuan became conflicted again

Leaning close to his ear, Ye Xiaonuan continued in a low voice: "Think about it, the business originally belongs to someone else. They are merely borrowing a few people from you, and in return, they can offer you half of the income. If he is not a fool, then he must have ulterior motives. If you agree to him just for the money, then you would be a great fool"

If she was confused just now, upon hearing some ambiguous voices and encountering such ambiguous characters, Ye Xiaonuan was completely bewildered

As soon as she finished speaking, she was rendered speechless by the people and scene outside the door

To praise someone can also turn into a fright, one must say that this man is truly not an ordinary person

At this moment, Long Li suddenly turned his head and said: "Fourth brother, it would be better to seek another path. The southern region is currently experiencing continuous drought, and soon the Japanese king will be ordered to head south to provide disaster relief. At that time, there may not be enough personnel to transport the grain, and it is likely that we cannot lend any. I hope Fourth brother can understand this."

Coming to her senses, Ye Xiaonuan found the face of the steward and walked over to ask, "Where is your prince?"

Yet this person is Long Li, his second brother, whom he has always found himself unable to surpass or even compare to

His two arms were clamped around her like a crab's pincers, making it impossible for her to break free. Ye Xiaonuan couldn't escape, and although she initially wanted to get angry, upon hearing his question, she felt that he might be trying to discuss the issue of her staying or leaving. Thus, she looked at him with a hint of anticipation and joy.

Before long, she suddenly raised her head and asked a certain man with a serious expression: "When will you let me go?"