Chapter 82 - This Slave Belongs to the Young Master-in-law

Perhaps this was the so-called 'newborn calf not fearing a tiger'.

These were matters that even the high officials of the court would not dare to speak of lightly, yet Song Yan and Yang Siyao were unscrupulous. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the tabletop, making a light sound. The thought he had forcibly suppressed before once again welled up.

The first time Song Hongtao sought him out, to have him investigate the relationship between Luo Yuheng and the many Luo children, another thought had welled up in Song Yan's heart. It's just that that thought was really too terrifying, and was suppressed by Song Yan the moment it appeared.

Since ancient times, the inner palace has been full of filth.

The number of princes who have died a violent, sudden death is countless.

Emperor Ninghe's Empress and Luo Yuheng were pregnant at the same time and gave birth on the same day. Luo Yuheng gave birth to a son and a daughter. The Empress only gave birth to a princess. And at that time, Emperor Ninghe had just ascended the throne and was not yet an adult. In the rear palace, Noble Consort Yang's power was great, and the imperial court was controlled by the Yang family.

To put it bluntly, it was lucky that the Empress only gave birth to a princess. If she had really given birth to a prince, how long could that prince have lived?

In order to protect his eldest legitimate son, could Emperor Ninghe have deliberately swapped him with Luo Yuheng's daughter?

This is a very normal suspicion, right?

Even he could think of this. Song Yan didn't believe the old foxes in the imperial court couldn't think of it. The ancients just didn't have the knowledge of modern people, but that doesn't mean the ancients were stupid.

But Luo Yuheng's subsequent actions had dispelled this suspicion. Every time Emperor Ninghe lost a son, Luo Yuheng would adopt one. Every time Emperor Ninghe lost a princess, Luo Yuheng would gain a daughter.

Normally, this kind of thing should be kept secret as much as possible, right? But Luo Yuheng seemed to be afraid that others wouldn't know, and even invited the entire city's commoners to come for a feast. Such a crazed way of doing things, on the contrary, made people feel that Luo Yuheng probably really was just too traumatized by the Prince Consort's death and had developed mental problems.

It wasn't until Emperor Ninghe delayed in establishing a Crown Prince that Luo Yuheng, who had long since disappeared from everyone's sight, and her many adopted children, appeared in the public eye once again.

At some point, the sky had completely darkened.

Yang Siyao had also already left.

In this era, for an unmarried man and woman to be together at night was, after all, something that would invite criticism. Yang Siyao was not the type of woman to care about her reputation, but under the current circumstances, she didn't want to cause more trouble.

Only Song Yan sat quietly in his chair, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter. If this speculation was true, and Emperor Ninghe really intended for the eldest legitimate son born to the Empress, that is, Luo Tianshu, to inherit the throne, then there should have been some movement.

That Dragon Throne was not something that could be sat on just because the emperor said so. The forces in the court were complex. If it really came to the point where Emperor Ninghe was on his deathbed, and he issued an edict to push Luo Tianshu onto the throne, that edict probably wouldn't even make it out of the imperial palace.

Even if Luo Tianshu really did sit on the Dragon Throne, without sufficient power backing him, he probably couldn't avoid the fate of a sudden, violent death.

Just like that Emperor Yuanjing.

But why, until now, has everything been calm?

Could it be that Emperor Ninghe doesn't plan to have the Empress's heir succeed the throne, and just wants his several children to live their lives peacefully?

Or is he planning to purge the imperial court and the rear palace, and only after everything is safe, will he bring his children back?

Or perhaps, Emperor Ninghe and Luo Yuheng have other plans?

"Young Master-in-law."

Gu Banxia's gentle voice sounded by Song Yan's ear: "It's very late.”

Huu.

He glanced at the sky. Today was the fifteenth; the moon was indeed rounder than usual. He didn't know where Song Hongtao had gone. It seemed he wouldn't be able to wait for his return.

Gu Banxia followed behind, obedient and quiet, as if she had heard nothing before.

Returning to the Luo Mansion, Gu Banxia was making the bed as usual. Her figure was already the curvaceous type. As she bent at the waist, from Song Yan's perspective, her chest, waist, and hips outlined a graceful curve. The thin ruqun outlined the rounded and slender contours of her legs.

Seductive, how could words describe it!

"Banxia."

"Hmm?"

"That man from the other night was actually Emperor Ninghe, right?"

Song Yan's voice was light and airy, his tone gentle. But to Gu Banxia's ears, it was as if a clap of thunder had suddenly exploded in her mind.

The movements of her hands stopped. Her body instantly froze on the spot, motionless. Even her rosy, pretty face turned deathly pale, completely bloodless.

For a moment, her mind was in a turmoil. She didn't know how to respond to the Young Master-in-law's words.

She didn't even know how to face the Young Master-in-law.

An indescribable oppression made beads of sweat break out on Gu Banxia's forehead.

According to the training she had received, if her identity was exposed, she had to kill the other party to prevent the secret from leaking. But that was the Young Master-in-law. No, it wasn't just because of his status as the Young Master-in-law, nor because of his medical skills that could save the Eldest Young Miss, but rather the most instinctual resistance from the depths of her heart.

Who knows how long passed, but Gu Banxia finally straightened up, turned around to look at Song Yan, and bit her lower lip.

"That night, the Young Master-in-law wasn't drunk?"

"Drunk, but not completely drunk," Song Yan smiled.

He didn't answer directly, but Song Yan already knew the answer.

Gu Banxia suddenly felt a little discouraged. Her eyes couldn't help but hold a bit of complaint. So the Young Master-in-law had known everything that night, yet he pretended that nothing had happened. He probably saw her trying to hide her identity in front of him and was secretly laughing behind her back.

Truly a bad heart.

"Isn't the Young Master-in-law afraid? Knowing such a secret is not a good thing!"

Song Yan smiled: "It's fine. I'm still useful. I won't be dying for the time being."

A useful person speaks with confidence.

Luo Yuheng and Emperor Ninghe were playing a big game of chess. Medicine was not a very big piece on this chessboard. For this pair of siblings, the truly useful things were gunpowder and hand grenades.

Thinking this, Song Yan spoke again: "So, what exactly is your identity?"

Gu Banxia hesitated for a long time, and finally let out a faint sigh.

"Gu Banxia, codename Xia Yuan, Heaven-rank shadow guard of the Imperial City Department."

The Imperial City Department, one of the forces truly controlled by Emperor Ninghe.

It is said that the main members of the Imperial City Department are of two types. The first is eunuchs, the second is palace maids.

Although in the eyes of some people, this force composed of women and crippled men is not worth mentioning, if not for the Imperial City Department, Emperor Ninghe probably wouldn't have lived for so long.

"Before the Grand Princess was stripped of her title, I was always by her side, responsible for protecting her safety.”

"Counting the years, it's been more than ten."

Gu Banxia's tone was faint, her face a little lonely.

"Young Master-in-law, this slave will go out first. I'll let Kong Chan come and serve you."

"Also, please don't speak of these matters to others. I know the Young Master-in-law is very smart, but in the end, there's no benefit in knowing too much. As for what the Young Master-in-law just said, I didn't hear it either."

He was noncommittal. He probably also understood Luo Yuheng's thoughts. This mother-in-law of his really valued him highly, and Song Yan could also feel that Luo Yuheng's gentleness towards him was not faked. There were some things Luo Yuheng was unwilling to tell him, which in her eyes, was also a form of protection for him.

But when he and the Ning Kingdom were placed on the two ends of a scale, which side was more important? It was probably the latter.

In this respect, Song Yan still had self-awareness. Song Yan didn't know what Luo Yuheng and Emperor Ninghe were planning, but it must be a grand scheme. And this plan was extremely risky. One more person knowing meant one more possibility of the secret leaking. For the sake of safety, he might be killed.

But it was still that same sentence: a useful person will not lose their life so casually.

Besides, he didn't want to be kept in the dark forever. The day he entered the Luo Mansion, whether he was willing or not, he had already been forcibly drawn into this vortex. Since he could no longer break free, then grasping a bit more information would also be more convenient for his future arrangements.

Gu Banxia let out a breath. She had thought about what might happen after the Young Master-in-law learned of her identity, but she had never expected this day to come so quickly, and even less so that she would feel so reluctant in her heart.

When did it start? It seems she had really fallen for the Young Master-in-law.

She probably wouldn't be able to stay by the Young Master-in-law's side anymore. After all, the Imperial City Department does the work of surveillance and monitoring. Its reputation is not good. No one would be willing to keep a spy by their side all the time.

Thinking this, she nodded towards Song Yan and turned, preparing to leave.

Just as she reached the door, her fingers, as slender as green onions and as lustrous as jade, had already grasped the door bolt. A voice came from behind her.

"Banxia."

Her body trembled slightly.

"So, whose person are you now?"

Her fine body slowly turned around. Under the flickering candlelight, her bright eyes shone crystallinely. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the corners of this fairy-like beauty's pretty, delicate lips were slightly curved up, just like a rising crescent moon, carrying a charming and gentle flavor, like the first wisp of a spring breeze blooming as the ice and snow melt:

"In the future..."

"This slave hopes to be the Young Master-in-law's person!"

"The Young Master-in-law is preparing to rest."

The smile on Gu Banxia's face deepened. She knew she could stay by the Young Master-in-law's side again.

Swaying her graceful body, she slowly walked towards Song Yan. With a light flick of her fingers at her waist, the belt also came loose. The dress slid down her skin, revealing rounded shoulders. Her skin was as fine as the highest-grade suet jade, crystal clear, as if water could be squeezed out with a gentle pinch.

At the collar, it was a view that would make one's blood boil.

As white as snow.

Under the candlelight's reflection, it glowed with a charming light, exuding a soul-snatching charm.

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