flstandardbreds Chapter 173
Chapter 173
Her smile was forced, and there was no hint of amusement in her eyes.
Nangong Jiuyan seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in her words and laughed, "I thought the wise prince would stay in the land of beauties and not come out."
"Last time, that man only followed you, and this time he brought a guard with him. Your Highness is truly blessed with good fortune."
Her gaze was ambiguous, shifting between Nalan Jingwen and Jingchi.
Nalan Jingwen stepped back a few paces to keep his distance from her, to avoid being fanned by her fan; the weather wasn't that hot yet.
"Life is short, so seize the day and enjoy it to the fullest."
Nangong Jiuyan suddenly burst out laughing, "What a fine example of seizing the day! I'm afraid I'll never reach the level of the Wise Prince in this lifetime."
Nalan Jingwen smiled but did not reply.
"Please, Your Highness. I have specially invited the chef from Tianci Pavilion. I hope Your Highness will do me the honor of having a taste."
Nalan Jingwen nodded and followed her onto the boat. Unlike the outside, the inside was extremely luxurious, with gold inlaid everywhere. Crystal and jade walls served as lamps, pearls as curtains, purple glass as canopies, white jade tables and chairs, fragrant osmanthus as pillars, and gold bricks paving the floor. It was extravagant and magnificent.
Nalan Jingwen paused slightly, but his expression remained unchanged as he calmly walked in.
Nangong Jiuyan had been observing Nalan Jingwen's expression. Seeing her so calm, he made up his mind.
"Please take a seat."
Nalan Jingwen sat down, his eyes calm, not looking at anything else.
Appealing dishes were served one after another and placed in front of the two of them, but Nalan Jingwen did not touch them.
Nangong Jiuyan finally put down her fan and stared at her with a strange expression.
"Your Majesty, please."
Nalan Jingwen glanced at the dishes in front of him but did not make a move.
Nangong Jiuyan curled his lips and said, "Is the Prince afraid that I will poison this place?"
Nalan Jing glanced at her and said, "The host hasn't even picked up his chopsticks yet, how can the guest start eating first?"
Nangong Jiuyan nodded, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of green vegetable and put it in his mouth, then looked at Nalan Jingwen and gave him a look.
Nalan Jingwen picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of green vegetable, put it in his mouth, and chewed.
Actually, she wasn't afraid that Nangong Jiuyan would poison the food; she didn't have the guts. It was common knowledge that she had accepted Nangong Jiuyan's invitation, and all the forces were watching her closely. She wouldn't dare to do anything to her under their noses.
This was just a test of her. As the two ate, Nangong Jiuyan did all the talking, while Nalan Jingwen simply nodded in agreement.
Halfway through the meal, Nangong Jiuyan suddenly put down his chopsticks, staring intently at her with a smirk.
"I heard that the Prince Xian helped my elder sister and resolved the issue of the patients gathered outside the city. The Prince Xian is truly a man of great talent."
Nalan Jingwen paused slightly, put down his chopsticks, and looked up to meet her gaze.
"It's just that I happened to know the treatment method; it's nothing special."
She was not surprised that Nangong Jiu knew about this; in fact, it was expected.
Even if Nangong Shiyu tried to keep a low profile and cover up the matter, there were countless spies watching in the capital, not to mention the fact that the Imperial Medical Academy and the imperial physicians were all summoned to the Eastern Palace, which easily attracted attention.
However, she didn't expect that Nangong Jiuyan would say it so openly. Wasn't she afraid that she would tell Nangong Shiyu?
Nangong Jiuyan seemed to know what she was thinking and said, "I sent people to see those people outside the city. Their illnesses are extremely strange and I have never seen anything like them before. The Empress Dowager is also quite troubled by them. This time, Prince Xian has solved a headache for the Empress Dowager."
"This concerns the people, so it is only right that I take it to heart."
Nalan Jingwen nodded without saying a word.
Nangong Jiuyan continued, "If I may ask, are the Prince Xian and the Eldest Princess on good terms?"
"We're just nodding acquaintances."
Nangong Jiuyan stared at her, as if trying to see if she was lying, but after a while, he couldn't tell anything. Nalan Jingwen remained indifferent.
She withdrew her gaze and smiled, "Since that's the case, let's be frank. Does Your Highness know why I invited you here?"
Nalan Jingwen glanced at the people behind her and said indifferently, "I don't know."
Nangong Jiuyan paused slightly, waved his hand, and the people behind him withdrew. Nalan Jing heard this but did not say anything or make any move.
Nangong Jiuyan frowned and said, "It's probably inconvenient for outsiders to be present when we're discussing business."
Her meaning was clear: she wanted Mirror Pool to leave as well.
Jingchi ignored her gaze and remained silent throughout.
Nalan Jingwen turned around and glanced at him, then pulled his hand and dragged him down into her arms.
Jingchi was slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered. She softened her stiff body, afraid of hurting her, and quietly leaned against Nalan Jingwen's chest, gently closing her eyes and smelling her unique scent.
Nalan Jingwen then looked up at Nangong Jiuyan again, his meaning clear as day.
Nangong Jiuyan's expression froze for a moment, then he chuckled dryly twice and said, "The Prince Xian really knows how to play..."
Nalan Jingwen remained noncommittal, saying, "He's not an outsider, so he can listen."
"I can't bear to see him out in the cold wind. If he catches a cold, I'll be heartbroken."
As she spoke, she lowered her head and kissed Jingchi's cheek. Suddenly, the body in her arms stiffened, her crystal-blue pupils contracted slightly, and the hand gripping her robe tightened.
Nalan Jingwen calmly massaged his waist to ease his tension, her expression remaining impassive.
Jingchi clutched her robes tightly, buried his face in her chest, and went limp once more.
Let it be this once, let him indulge himself this once...
Whether it's exploitation or something else.
Seeing this, Nangong Jiuyan was displeased but didn't say much. He continued, "I invited the Prince Xian this time because I want to cooperate with him."
Nalan Jingwen paused slightly, then casually asked, "What kind of cooperation?"
Why should the wise king pretend not to know?
"Your Highness must have heard of my reputation. They say I'm a dissolute playboy and a womanizer. So, would Your Highness dare to cooperate with me?"
Everyone avoids her like the plague, so why do they always come up to her and try to find something for her to do?
Nangong Jiuyan gave her a knowing look, as if he knew she had seen right through her.
"Rumors are not to be believed. Just as they said, the wise king has a blue face and fangs and is extremely terrifying. But now that I see him, he is not as frightening as the rumors say."
On the contrary, it was a pleasant surprise; someone who didn't know better might have mistaken him for Nalan Jingwen.
Nalan Jingwen did not refute, but continued, "I am foolish and really dislike those roundabout, open and covert matters. Your Highness should find someone else to cooperate with."
As she spoke, she stood up, holding the person in her arms, and said, "Compared to those things, I still prefer being with my beauty."
Jingchi held her in his arms, listening quietly to her heartbeat.
Nalan Jingwen glanced at him indifferently and said, "I'll be leaving now, Your Highness, there's no need to see me off."