The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

He took off his outer robe, tiptoed back to the bed, and pulled that soft body back into his arms, subconsciously taking a deep breath at the nape of her neck.

That familiar, comforting, sweet scent instantly dispelled all the gloom and scheming.

"Jiaojiao,"

He pressed his lips to her delicate skin and murmured softly, his voice filled with weariness and dependence.

"My husband can't be without you for even a moment."

Disturbed in her sleep, Shen Tinghe mumbled a soft "uh" and unconsciously pushed away the head that was pressing down on her, mumbling indistinctly.

"It itches... Brother, stop it..." Then she drifted off into a deep sleep again.

Xie Yanzhao chuckled softly, utterly enamored with her unguarded and charming naiveté.

The tip of its teeth gently nibbled at a small piece of soft flesh on her neck, leaving a faint mark, before slowly sliding down along the graceful lines.

He loosened the ties of her nightgown with his fingers, and his gaze fell upon her smooth, snow-white skin and undulating curves. His eyes suddenly darkened, and his breathing became heavier.

In the end, he couldn't resist and lowered his head, showering her with tenderness and an irresistible possessiveness, leaving her with countless kisses.

Around midnight, a faint commotion arose in Xingzhou City, with the sounds of clashing armor and shouts faintly audible.

Although deliberately suppressed to a distance, it was still somewhat distinct in the quiet night.

Shen Tinghe was eventually awakened by the faint noises, her eyes still sleepy.

She discovered that Xie Yanzhao was not asleep, but was sitting on the headboard, holding a chess manual in his hand, looking at it by the soft candlelight by the bedside, with one arm firmly around her.

Shen Tinghe, like a lazy cat, slowly climbed up his solid body, finally nestling softly into his arms, even letting out a small yawn and rubbing her cheek against his chest.

"Brother, what's all the commotion outside?"

Xie Yanzhao hugged her tightly, placing several light kisses on her head, forehead, and cheeks, and gently patting her back with his palm.

"Xingzhou is prosperous and has never had a strict curfew, so it's common for it to be lively at night. But did you disturb my good boy?"

Shen Tinghe hummed softly in his arms, half-asleep and half-awake, her courage growing. She found the seam of his nightgown and gently twisted it.

"All the excitement is for other people... I'm always confined to the yard by my brother, and I can't go anywhere."

She vaguely accused him: "A tyrant."

"Hiss—" Xie Yanzhao was caught off guard and gasped. The feeling was both painful and numb, and a strange sensation shot straight up his spine.

He wrapped his long arm around the still dazed little one and hugged him tightly, face to face.

Shen Tinghe gasped softly and instinctively grabbed his shoulders, already straddling his waist.

Her eyes were half-open, and she was lying on top of him, clearly not fully awake, but just instinctively relying on him.

Xie Yanzhao sighed helplessly, but his heart softened. He stroked her long, loose hair down her back with his large hand and coaxed her softly.

"Go to sleep. Tomorrow, I'll take you out to play, okay?"

Tomorrow, everything in Xingzhou will be settled, and there will be no more worries.

Perhaps it was because she had received a promise, or perhaps it was because his embrace and pats were too comfortable.

Shen Tinghe gave a muffled reply, her thick eyelashes trembled, and she quickly fell into a deep sleep again, her breathing becoming even and long.

Xie Yanzhao made sure she was fast asleep before gently patting her round bottom and chuckling softly, "You little rascal."

That moment just now truly left him with a lingering sense of satisfaction.

He carefully adjusted his position, holding her securely in his arms. His gaze swept across the faint firelight outside the window, his eyes sharp as knives, a stark contrast to the gentleness he displayed when facing the person in his arms.

The night is still long, but their peace is not to be disturbed by anyone.

The bustling nightlife of Xingzhou's main street has long been replaced by a desolate atmosphere.

The torches illuminated the bluestone path as bright as day, and also revealed the invisible, tense boundary between the two groups of people.

Ye Duhuai stood with his hand on his sword, dressed in light armor, surrounded by a dark, silent mass of guards.

On the other side, Prince Qi, Xie Yu, dressed only in a dark purple casual robe, stood before the guards of his palace, whom he had painstakingly managed for many years. His expression was uncertain in the flickering firelight.

He only learned today that his good nephew Xie Yanzhao had quietly entered Xingzhou City.

This is not a mere warning, but a thunderous force aimed at uprooting him completely.

Even so, he is by no means a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

"Ye Duhuai,"

King Qi broke the silence first, a familiar, arrogant smile playing on his lips.

"What, with this show of force, are you really going to assassinate the current prince?"

Ye Duhuai remained calm and bowed with clasped hands: "Your Highness is too kind. This humble general is acting on the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince to request Your Highness's presence. There are some matters that require Your Highness's cooperation in investigating."

If Your Highness disobeys, this humble general will have no choice but to... carry out His Highness's decree and arrest Your Highness.

"arrest?"

King Qi seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, but his laughter did not reach his eyes.

"What crime have I committed that warrants His Highness the Crown Prince traveling thousands of miles to Xingzhou to arrest me?"

"Your Highness knows perfectly well what is going on."

Ye Duhuai calmly listed the charges.

"During the autumn hunt, he colluded with the criminal Xie Xuancheng to assassinate His Highness the Crown Prince, that's one. He privately amassed armor and weapons, exceeding the permitted limits, plotting rebellion, that's another. He colluded with local officials to embezzle salt and iron profits, undermining the foundation of the state, that's a third. He framed loyal officials and harmed the people; many unsolved cases and wrongful convictions in Xingzhou over the years are related to the Prince's Mansion, that's a fourth..."

He recounted each and every incident clearly.

The King of Qi listened, but the contemptuous smile on his face never faded.

He knew that Ye Duhuai's ability to say these things with such certainty meant that Xie Yanzhao already had solid evidence.

He admitted that he was not as shrewd as his nephew, who had grown up in the deep palace, when it came to scheming and plotting.

But why should he bother with all that empty talk?

"Enough!" King Qi suddenly interrupted Ye Duhuai, his feigned smile completely vanishing, replaced by a coldness that exuded confidence.

He took out a bright yellow scroll from his wide sleeves, raised it high with both hands, and his voice echoed through the long street.

"The late Emperor's decree is here! Why are you all kneeling now!"

Many soldiers subconsciously shifted their bodies slightly, their gazes towards the rolled-up imperial edict filled with natural awe.

Only Ye Duhuai remained unmoved: "Your Highness, forging the late Emperor's edict is an unforgivable crime, a crime punishable by double the severity."

"Forgery?"

King Qi chuckled, a ruthless glint of triumph flashing in his eyes.

"Open your dog eyes and see clearly! This is a blank edict left by the late Emperor himself, bearing the Imperial Seal of the State, as well as the personal seals of my father and mother! Ye Duhuai, for refusing to kneel before the late Emperor's edict, I can petition His Majesty to exterminate your entire Ye family!"

He believed in the power of this imperial edict; it was the last and greatest talisman his father and mother had left him.

No matter how powerful Xie Yanzhao is, can he defy the will of the late emperor?