Chapter 153: Empress Yin
Empress Yin had invited him twice…
The first time, she had sent Jade Peony to invite him, saying she wanted to meet him and mediate the conflict between him and Bei Ming Ni.
The second time, she had directly asked for his help…
If he refused again, it would be a great disrespect to her.
Mingyan thought for a moment, then sent a mental message to Huang Feiyan. “Feiyan, please inform your second aunt that Empress Yin wants to see me.”
If this was about the old emperor… He remembered the stories of special constitutions being captured and used for alchemy. He couldn’t put himself in danger. Although the old emperor and Empress Yin might not harm him, he had to be wary of the “what if.”
Huang Feiyan, hearing this, instinctively glanced at the empress above the Eastern Palace and nodded slightly.
Seeing this, Mingyan replied to the crown prince, “Where shall we meet?”
“After the banquet ends, you can stay behind, Brother Ming,” the crown prince replied via mental message.
Mingyan agreed.
The banquet soon ended. Ning Feixuan, Yue Qingying, and Huang Feiyan left. Before leaving, Huang Feiyan sent him a mental message. “My second aunt is nearby. You don’t have to worry. And she told me that even the old emperor himself couldn’t keep you here if you wanted to leave.”
Mingyan was touched. “Thank her for me, Sister.”
Hearing him call her “Sister,” Huang Feiyan felt a strange sense of unease. When they were married someday, she would call her “Second Aunt,” and he would call her “Sister”… Wouldn’t that mess up the seniority?
Huang Feiyan’s beautiful face was filled with a strange expression, but in the end, she didn’t say anything and left with Ning Feixuan and Yue Qingying.
Mingyan had already informed them of the situation, so they didn’t say anything. Since Huang Feiyan’s second aunt had said it was fine, they naturally wouldn’t interfere.
The guests soon left. After a while, the crown prince and Jade Peony appeared.
The crown prince still wore his red brocade robe, his long hair slightly tied back, his features incredibly handsome. Jade Peony still wore her veil, her unique cherry-colored eyes always smiling. “Brother Ming.”
“Your Highness, Celestial Jade.” Mingyan bowed in greeting.
The crown prince also returned the bow, smiling. “Thank you for giving me this face, Brother Ming. My name is Yu Yan. If you’re willing, you can call me by my name.”
The imperial surname of the Sheng Yuan Dynasty was Zhu. So, the crown prince’s full name was Zhu Yu Yan.
Jade Peony chuckled. “You should go back and accompany your new bride.”
The crown prince sighed. “Please don’t tease me, Sister Jade. Brother Ming, let me take you to see my mother.”
Mingyan felt strange. Could it be that the crown prince and crown princess didn’t have a good relationship?
Jade Peony chuckled, then led Mingyan with the crown prince towards the Eastern Palace.
“Brother Ming, you’re quite hard to get. The crown prince had to personally invite you.”
“I didn’t know what the empress wanted from me before. The conflict with Bei Ming Ni couldn’t be mediated, so I felt it was unnecessary.” Mingyan sighed. “If I had known the empress wanted my help, how could I have refused?”
The crown prince smiled faintly. “My mother told me that when she was young, she admired your master. Holy Master Yue Ying was her idol.”
His master had been undefeated in her generation. It was natural for her to be an idol for many women. Mingyan was also very proud of his master.
“I wonder what Her Majesty wants from me,” Mingyan asked.
The crown prince shook his head gently. “My mother didn’t tell me. She’ll surely explain it to you later. Please don’t worry, Brother Ming. My mother won’t force you. We don’t want Holy Master Yue Ying to come knocking on our door.”
The crown prince’s words were slightly playful, making Mingyan feel even more strange. He had to keep his distance from this crown prince. He had a feeling that spending too much time with him wouldn’t be a good thing.
But speaking of which, the crown prince seemed to have great respect for Empress Yin…
Empress Yin was not the crown prince’s biological mother. Since she had married the old emperor and become the empress, she had never had any children. There might have been rumors about her infertility, but her reputation was too good, so such rumors never spread, or at least, they never gained traction.
“I’m afraid it’s not just Holy Master Yue Ying. If you dare to do anything to him, the Family Head of the Huang family will certainly not stand by and watch.” Jade Peony said with a hint of meaning, “Your relationship with the Huang family is quite close. I heard that the Huang family once declared in front of many people that you have done them a great favor.”
Mingyan smiled but didn’t say anything.
Jade Peony, seeing this, didn’t press further.
The crown prince pondered for a moment, then asked, “Celestial Qingfei of the Huang family was in a coma before. Was it with Brother Ming’s help that she was awakened?”
Although the Huang family had never explicitly said that Mingyan had saved Huang Qingfei, her awakening, combined with their subsequent care for him, made it easy to guess that he had played a crucial role. Perhaps he was the one who had saved her. Otherwise, why would the Huang family be so good to an outsider?
Before Mingyan could speak, Jade Peony smiled. “It’s better to just have a guess in your heart. There’s no need to ask for an answer.”
“You’re right… I was being presumptuous.” The crown prince apologized and stopped. “My mother is in the palace ahead.”
Jade Peony continued forward. “Follow me, Young Master Ming.”
Mingyan nodded and followed her. When they reached the palace, Jade Peony stood at the door and smiled. “Her Majesty is inside. You can go in.”
She didn’t seem to be going in. Mingyan thought for a moment and entered the palace.
There was no one else inside. On the throne at the far end sat a woman in a magnificent golden palace dress. She wore a double-phoenix and dragon crown, her beautiful face exuding a seductive charm. Her willow-like eyes were slightly curved, as if holding two pools of spring water. Her lips were bright red, alluring and enchanting. Mingyan’s breath caught in his throat. He immediately thought of his sister, Wang Qingchu, and his master, Yue Wu Xia, and quickly calmed himself.
His heart was pounding. For some reason, when he saw mature women who were much older than him, he was more easily flustered than when he saw women his own age.
“Your Majesty,” he bowed, but didn’t kneel. Although she was the empress of the Sheng Yuan Dynasty, he was not its subject.
“Hehe~” Empress Yin’s smile was gentle, like a spring breeze, refreshing and pleasant. “You’re not easy to get, are you?”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty. I just didn’t know you wanted my help before. If I had known, I wouldn’t have refused.”
Yin Hanyan’s smile widened. Her gentle and seductive charm was natural, not at all artificial. She was truly a fox spirit…
