The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

Only in her presence did he not need to constantly calculate or pretend; even simple questions and answers like this brought him joy.

"My elder brother has entrusted me with an important task, ordering me to go to Yuzhou to oversee the management of the floods."

He spoke calmly, but deliberately emphasized the words "Yuzhou" slightly, his gaze fixed on her reaction.

"The imperial decree is urgent; we must depart tonight."

Shen Tinghe murmured, "Yuzhou..."

That's a dangerous place.

The words rolled on her tongue, but she swallowed them back down.

She looked up at Xie Xuancheng, who stood tall and elegant before her. She couldn't tell when they had both shed their childishness and grown into such beautiful young men.

However, there still seemed to be a trace of the gentle and calm demeanor he had when he was a child between his brows.

Shen Tinghe couldn't help but say, "Yuzhou is dangerous. After floods, diseases often follow. Your Highness should be careful."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

Xie Xuancheng cupped his hands and bowed deeply.

His humble posture was flawless, but with his head bowed, Shen Tinghe couldn't see that all the feigned gentleness in his eyes had been stripped away, revealing a surging, almost manic, scorching undercurrent.

Yuan Yuan is concerned about him.

When he raised his head, his face had returned to calm, but his hands, hidden under the wide sleeves, trembled slightly, his fingertips digging into his palms, using pain to suppress the palpitations that were about to burst forth from his body.

"Sister Yuan... is still the same as when we were little."

Shen Tinghe was slightly taken aback, then a nostalgic smile appeared on her lips: "It's been a long time since I've heard that title."

Xie Xuancheng was actually a few months older than her, but he grew slowly when he was young and was always a little shorter than Shen Tinghe. He was a cute little dumpling who always loved to stick to her.

Shen Tinghe would always coax him into calling her "sister".

As they grew older, they saw each other less and less. Palace rules and etiquette were so strict that this title had long been lost to time.

Xie Xuancheng lowered his eyes, concealing the deeper meaning in them: "We met by chance today, and I suddenly remembered the nickname we used to play as children, so I called her that in private... Please don't take offense, Sister-in-law."

"It's nothing," Shen Tinghe gently shook her head.

"In that case," Xie Xuancheng cupped his hands again, "I shall take my leave."

Yuan Yuan, one day, I will stand tall and proud beside you, within reach.

Instead of the way things are now, with you inside the pavilion and me outside, separated by an insurmountable chasm.

To the left rear of the pavilion in the Imperial Garden, on the top floor of the library, which is situated on slightly higher ground.

Xie Yanzhao stood by the railing, his dark-colored casual clothes almost blending into the shadows.

His face was expressionless, but his eyes, cold and sharp as quenched blades, were fixed on the two figures in the distant pavilion.

The wind billowed his sleeves, yet the air pressure around him was frighteningly low.

The eunuch Qi Lu behind him had already lowered his head so much that he didn't dare to breathe.

He could clearly sense that His Highness was angry, a cold and silent rage.

Qi Lu glanced furtively at Jing Cang, who stood like a rock behind Xie Yanzhao, and sighed inwardly:

Jing Cang, the guard, is truly remarkable. Even under such circumstances, he can still stand firmly beside His Highness, without taking a single step back.

"Jing Cang," Xie Yanzhao suddenly spoke, his voice calm.

"Yes," Jing Cang replied.

Xie Yanzhao's gaze remained fixed on the distance, but a cold, emotionless smile slowly curved his lips.

"Tell the people in Yuzhou to treat His Highness Prince Cheng well. Give him plenty of work to do." He paused slightly, then added, "Remember, don't kill him."

"Yes." Jing Cang accepted the order as if it were a very ordinary task.

Xie Yanzhao finally slowly withdrew his gaze, his fingertips casually stroking the cold railing.

For a long time, no ant dared to jump around in front of him like that.

It seems that his good younger brother no longer wants to pretend to be gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, and modest.

Not long after, Shen Tinghe returned to the East Palace.

As soon as she stepped into the palace gates, Qi Lu jogged up to greet her, a perfectly timed smile on his face: "Your Highness, the Crown Princess, you're back! His Highness is waiting for you in the study."

Shen Tinghe was somewhat surprised. Without saying anything, she turned towards the study.

Inside the study, Xie Yanzhao was sitting in a large rosewood chair, holding a memorial in his hand. He didn't even look up when he heard footsteps.

As Shen Tinghe approached, her gaze was drawn to a plate of exquisite lotus-shaped pastries on the table.

This snack wasn't something I usually kept in my study, unless she was there.

She casually picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.

The next second, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed instantly, and she hurriedly turned to the side and spat the pastry onto her handkerchief.

"Ugh...why is it so sour!"

Xie Yanzhao then put down the memorial, looked up at her, stretched out his arm, and easily pulled her into a sitting position on his firm lap.

"Sour?" He pinched her chin, forcing her to look up at him, his eyes dark and unfathomable.

"It was specially prepared for Yuan Yuan. But I think... it's not sour enough."

Before the words were even finished, a barrage of punitive, fierce kisses rained down upon him.

His breath was hot as he pried open her teeth, conquering her and sharing the sourness of the pastry with her, along with the jealousy in his heart.

Shen Tinghe was held tightly in his arms and kissed for a long time until she had difficulty breathing and her lips were swollen and red. Only then did she manage to push him away a little, her eyes filled with tears.

"Xie Yanzhao! What's wrong with you?"

Xie Yanzhao pressed his thumb heavily against her moist, swollen lower lip, his eyes dangerous like a predator eyeing its prey.

Why talk to him? Why smile at him? Why let him look at you like that?

Shen Tinghe was completely bewildered: "Who is it?"

Seeing this, Xie Yanzhao was both angry and helpless. He was so jealous that he was about to die, but the person in his arms was completely unaware and looked innocent.

He lowered his head and captured her lips again, sucking and biting gently until he felt her body completely soften, and she nestled against his shoulder, breathing softly.

As he stroked her back, he whispered in her ear, his voice low and husky:

"When you and Xie Xuancheng were reminiscing in the pavilion, I was in the library behind it and saw everything clearly."

Shen Tinghe straightened up, supporting herself against his chest. "So what? Since you saw it, you should know that I just bumped into him and exchanged a few words. You're jealous about that? Xie Yanzhao, have you fallen into a vat of jealousy?"

The more she talked, the more she felt he was being unreasonable. She pinched the skin on his cheeks and pulled it outwards, completely disregarding that she was pinching the face of the Crown Prince.

Xie Yanzhao pulled her mischievous hand to his lips, gently biting her fingertip, his gaze deep and intense.

"Yuan Yuan's eyes are so beautiful and clear, how come she can't see people clearly?"

That despicable dog's thoughts were practically overflowing, but his Yuan Yuan was completely oblivious, still thinking of him as a harmless, pitiful little white rabbit, a gentleman of noble character.

Shen Tinghe tried to pull her hand away, but couldn't, so she let him hold it: "Can't I see who's right? I see it most clearly in my heart. My brother is just bullying me for no reason."