CH 16

The appearance of Ren Anle was sudden and unpredictable, perhaps because the smile on her face was excessively warm and pure, Han Ye did not, uncharacteristically, speak of rules with a stern face, but merely glanced down at the pavilion and said with a smile, "Lord Ren has a good skill"

Ren Anle nodded with a smile on her face, "Your Highness has good eyesight. Anle practiced martial arts at the age of ten, and her kung fu is unmatched throughout southern Jin. If Your Highness accepts it, Anle will ensure that Your Highness is safe for the rest of his life."

Seeing Ren Anle's serious face, Han Ye lost his smile and said, "Lord Ren is joking. As you are now the minister of the Dalisi, your fist and heart should be used on the people of the capital."

Ren Anle shook her head back to evade and pointed at the examination paper in Han Ye's hand and asked, "Is this the examination paper of Young master Wen? I heard that His Majesty used 'the world' as the topic in the Imperial Court examination, and the young duke responded to His Majesty with the people as the water, the law as the pillar, and the king as the sword. The people seated around the throne room were taken aback by his answer. With such talent at a young age, the future prospects are limitless.

The pride in Han Ye's eyes was not hidden in the slightest, "Wen Shuo is very competitive, better than I expected."

Perhaps Han Ye himself hadn't noticed that the coldness in his body melted every time he talked about Wen Shuo, not at all like the old-fashioned, serious crown prince he usually was.

Ren Anle's heart moved slightly, and her body bent forward, her lips stopped directly in Han Ye's ear, and whispered: "His Royal Highness, if it wasn't for the wrong age, this minister would really think that Young Master Wen is your legacy among the people... "

Ren Anle's face was serious. Her voice was hoarse from the wine she had consumed, but the words she spoke were unseemly. Han Ye only felt a moist touch on his ear, and a burst of heat rose up. Stunned, he raised his head towards Ren Anle, who had shrunk back in a heap -he had actually been teased[1]!

[1]调戏 [tiáo xì] - Modern people prefer to interpret flirting as provocation and teasing of the opposite sex, and very often when a person is teasing the opposite sex it is said to be flirting with someone else;take liberties with a woman; assail with obscenities

Han Ye was established as the crown prince of a country since he was a child. His status is precious, and the women who admire him are all over the capital, but who would dare to do such an unconventional thing!

"Your Highness, this servant was only joking." Seeing such an expression on the crown prince's face, Ren Anle was equally surprised and waved her hands repeatedly in forgiveness.

There are many concubines in the Eastern Palace. Why is the Prince reacting like a young child?

As the one who had been wronged, Han Ye was full of anger, but he held back under Ren Anle's strange gaze. Just with a calm and collected face, he said firmly, "Lord Ren, Gu is the Crown Prince of Dajing."

Oh... so it was because he felt he had lost face. Ren Anle blinked, then she understood, and muttered innocently in a small voice, "Your Highness, this is very normal in our Jinan ......"

"Normal?" Han Ye's face was suspicious.

"Yes, the people of Jinnan are so open-minded that many women even repudiate their husbands to marry another man and have the same inheritance rights as men. I have seen many girls in the fortress who get along with the man they admire in this way."

Han Ye's qi and blood surged. Although the customs of the southern and northern parts of Jin are different, women will not be bold enough to reach this point! Seeing Ren Anle's sincere face, he realised that although she had the talent to lead the army and enter the imperial court, she had grown up in a bandit's den and lacked in other aspects, so he rubbed the corners of his eyebrows and said with a bitter smile, "Lord Ren, no matter what the customs are in southern Jin, this is the imperial capital and some of the rules are not quite the same as where you are."

Ren Anle waved her hand, "I know, I know, I will be careful with my words and deeds in the future and never offend the sacred body again." Halfway through her half-heartedly words, she was still a little unhappy. She curled her lips and said, "Your Highness, there are countless women in the capital who want to enter the Eastern Palace, why can't I? Is An Le really so unappealing to His Highness' eyes?"

Han Ye was slightly stunned and did not reply, but merely sat back on the wooden chair of the pavilion platform. He was silent for a moment before saying to the woman who was sitting on the horizontal edge with a puzzled look on her face, "Because it's a pity."

Ren Anle raised an eyebrow and immediately had a few big words written plainly on her face: what kind of reason is that!

"The imperial examination cheating case is the reason why you cannot enter the Eastern Palace. Lord Ren is more than just a commander-in-chief. Gu can see that the court's treachery is only in the palm of your hand."

Han Ye's words were clear and cold to the ears, but Ren Anle's expression remained unchanged. She merely hooked the corners of her mouth and shrugged without saying a word.

"Whether it is the people's hearts, the scholars and the court officials are all part of your calculation, even the father Emperor and the left minister...too." Han Ye met Ren Anle's dark eyes and said slowly, "The Marquis of Zhongyi has been in charge of the northwest for several years and has accumulated a great deal of authority. Father has long been dissatisfied with his domineering ways, but he just couldn't find an excuse to take offense. As for the left minister, he knows very well that the court will have to give an account under the criticism of the scholars, and one Minister of Household is far from enough ...... If not for the intervention of the left minister, how could the military power of the Marquis of Zhongyi be easily forced to hand over. As for the reason why the left minister would be so anxious, I think your Excellency understands it better than I do."

"His Highness' eyes are like a fiery candles, so I don't expect An Le's little trick to be able to hide from His Highness."

"Lord Ren is being modest." Han Ye suddenly spoke in a deep voice, and his was gaze sincere, "What the court lacks is a good official like you who is dedicated to the people and has a clear heart. That is why Gu said ... it would be too much of a pity for Lord Ren to join the Eastern Palace. If you stay in the Imperial court, Gu believe...it will be a blessing for the world."

Ren Anle held her chin and looked at Han Ye and suddenly said, "Your Highness, has anyone ever said to you ...... that you are a very good crown prince."

Ren Anle's gaze was firm and serious. Han Ye was slightly stunned, something flickered under his eyes and he smiled, "Since I was made crown prince, these words have often entered my ears, but no one has been as direct as you. Ren Anle, you are truly special, unlike any other woman I have ever met."

Han Ye suddenly got up and walked up to Ren Anle, who looked at him in surprise. He suddenly leaned down, as Ren Anle had just done, with a smile on his lips, "Although Gu cannot welcome you into the Eastern Palace, he is willing to be friends with you. Ren Anle, are you willing?"

Han Ye quietly leaned over, his long ink-black hair fell on Ren Anle's chest, motionless, as if he was determined to wait for Ren Anle's answer.

Indeed a man who can't afford to lose. Ren Anle sighed and looked back—only to be suddenly confronted by a pair of inky black eyes. The person in front of her had ink-like eyebrows and pursed lips, and his cheeks were still flushed from the wine he had consumed. Her eyes moved and she suddenly thought, Crown Prince Han Ye is rumored to have a good appearance that attracts women's admiration, but this turned out to be true.

The wind rose slightly and their long hair was blown apart, tangled together and fell into the air. Ren Anle's lips moved and she could not help but murmur, "The gentleman's crown is like jade, and the beauties are paired under the moon."

"Hahahahaha ......"

The quiet atmosphere was suddenly broken as an untimely long laugh sounded at the entrance of the inner pavilion, which was extremely invigorating.

Han Ye's face changed slightly. Ren Anle's good opportunity to admire beauty was interrupted, so she could only secretly sigh in pity as she raised her head to look in -

A pair of young man and woman stood not far away. The young man was wearing dark blue clothes, his face was handsome and solemn, his lips pursed and his eyes were indifferent. The woman was dressed in a general's robe, showing heroic martial prowess, with a clear brow and a teasing smile on her face at the moment.

"Imperial brother, you left me and Zheng Yan in a group of sour and rotten[2] scholars, while you yourself hid in the Tianjian Pavilion to meet with a beautiful woman. This is not the way of a gentleman." The woman folded her arms over her chest, her eyes glancing obliquely in Ren Anle's direction, and said, "Won't you introduce us?"

[2] pedantic

Han Ye sighed and turned around, "An Ning, stop fooling around. This is Da Lisi qing, Lord Ren. When did you come?"

"When?" Princess An Ning smiled evilly, "Not too early. It was just now when this young lady said ...... 'A gentleman's crown is like a jade'."

Han Ye's brows twitched, but he endured it and looked at Shi Zhengyan, who stood beside him. "Zhengyan, I entrusted An Ning to you..." 

"Well, imperial brother, I haven't been back to the capital for four years, don't be stern-faced and lecture people." Princess An Ning waved her hand, her face was elegant, sharp and valiant, but did not hide her heavenly nobility in any way.

Han Ye shook his head helplessly and said to Ren Anle, "Lord Ren, this is Princess An Ning and General Shi."

"Anle has met Her Highness the Princess and General Shi." Ren Anle arched her hand as a greeting, but in her heart she was deeply moved. It turned out that this was that Princess An Ning.

The Emperor had four princesses, the most favoured was Shaohua, but the one he was most proud of was the eldest imperial daughter, An Ning. Princess Anning loved to practice martial arts when she was young. At the age of ten, she was accepted as a disciple of Master Jing Xuan of the Yongning Temple. At the age of fourteen, she came back to the palace, and at the autumn hunting tournament that year, she defeated a group of generals and made the royal family look good. After returning to the palace, the Emperor was so pleased that he hosted a banquet for Princess An Ning and asked her what she wanted to d, but to his surprise, the princess was so fierce that she insisted on being stationed in the northwest. The Emperor had no choice but to send his eldest daughter to the frontier.

In the past four years, the Northwest army and the Northern Qin army fought dozens of battles, and An Ning was always in the vanguard of every battle. Her bravery was unparalleled, and she achieved great success in the battles, which made the Northern Qin army feel frightened.

It is a pity that, like Ren Anle, even with her great military achievements, very few famous families are willing to marry this warrior princess into their family, so the Emperor Jia Ning is extremely concerned about An Ning's marriage. This time she must have been called back to the capital for her marriage.

Shi Zhengyan is the only son of General Shi Yuen Long. At such a young age, he has taken charge of his own party and is no less prestigious than his father. The Shi family had made a great contribution to the founding of the country and was extremely loyal to the Emperor, never interfering in the battle for the throne. This time, when the military power of the Marquis of Zhongyi was taken away from him, the Emperor gave the old General Shi the responsibility for the time being.

"So this is General Ren, An Ning has heard of her for a long time and has been longing to see her for a long time. ......"

Ren Anle raised her eyebrows and Princess An Ning smirked, "True to her name. Lord Ren, the marriage proposal from the Golden Palace has reached my northwest camp, and my imperial brother is that good?"

Han Ye's face sank as Ren Anle glanced deeply towards Han Ye, suddenly leaping over the horizontal railing in a single bound. Her open reply accompanied by a loud laugh coming clearly through the night.　　

"Princess, Your Highness's face is as bright as the moon, and it has won my heart since."

This time, Han Ye's face darkened completely, and even Shi Zhengyan, who had been unchanged, twitched his eyebrows, forcing himself to stifle his laughter.

Princess An Ning laughed and ran to the fence, and shouted towards the back that was about to disappear in the depths of the path, "Lord Ren, you have a good insights. Let's go to the imperial capital some day. I'd be delighted if you could join me!"

Ren Anle turned her back on the Tianjian Pavilion and waved her hand distantly in response to the invitation.

Princess An Ning turned her head back and looked at the Crown Prince, whose anger was about to surge out. She rolled her eyes and said with a dry smile, "Brother, it's been a long journey and I'm a bit tired, so I'd better go back to the palace to rest first." After saying this, she jumped down from the pavilion like Ren Anle, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

In the Tianjian Pavilion, only Han Ye and Shi Zhengyan were left standing alone. It seemed that the crown prince really needed to be appeased at this moment. After a while, Shi Zhengyan said slowly and sincerely, "Your Highness, my father often said that a woman is as fierce as a tiger. If you come across her and are no match for her, then fleeing is the best strategy."