Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Simply Scooping Up Zhi Wan
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhan lifted his gaze to look at her and said coolly, "Your Highness wishes to overthrow the Crown Prince. Is it because you desire that position for yourself?"
Princess Chang Le froze.
Then she said sheepishly, "You flatter me. I’m just a woman. How could I ever sit in that position?"
"Man proposes, Heaven disposes," Lu Zhan said calmly. "If you truly want it, nothing is impossible."
Seeing that he wasn’t joking, Princess Chang Le said seriously, "Lu Zhan, I have no designs on that position." After a pause, she lowered her voice. "My brother, Prince Rui, is superior to the Crown Prince in both ability and moral character. You should know this as well. But because of our father the Emperor’s favoritism toward the Crown Prince, my brother has been relegated to the sidelines for years, forced to live as an idle prince.
But my brother has the realm in his heart and cares for the common people. He is also magnanimous. If he were to ascend the throne, it would surely be a blessing for the people.
If you are willing to help him ascend the throne, my mother the Empress will absolutely not treat you unfairly. In the future, my brother Prince Rui will also be sure to treat you and the Lu Family generously."
"Does Your Highness speak for Prince Rui, or for the Empress?" Lu Zhan asked in a flat tone.
"They are one and the same; there is no difference. I can speak for either of them. Otherwise, I would not have come to discuss this matter with you today." Princess Chang Le paused. "The reason I was sent to speak with you is because I am a woman, and I am friends with Zhi Wan. No one will be suspicious of me coming and going from the Zhi Mansion."
Lu Zhan remained noncommittal.
Princess Chang Le said anxiously, "Lu Zhan, among all the princes, my brother Prince Rui is the most capable. Moreover, when he ascends the throne, he will surely be an enlightened ruler. If you aid him, you will be credited with the great merit of helping a new emperor rise to power. What more is there for you to hesitate about?"
"Allow me to consider it further." After a long moment, Lu Zhan spoke calmly.
Hearing this, Princess Chang Le, though anxious, felt helpless.
"Fine. Think it over carefully. When you’ve made up your mind, have Zhi Wan come find me at the Princess Mansion."
"Mm," Lu Zhan nodded.
As Princess Chang Le left, she saw Zhi Wan in the courtyard, trimming flower branches. Her slender and graceful figure had a sudden calming effect on the princess’s restless heart.
She decided to tease Zhi Wan and deliberately walked up behind her.
However, before she could make a move to startle her, Zhi Wan suddenly turned around, holding a flower, and offered it to her.
"Your Highness, this is for you."
Staring at the brilliant, blooming rose in her hand, Princess Chang Le was taken aback for a moment. "For me?"
"Mm-hmm." Zhi Wan smiled as she looked at her.
Princess Chang Le took it, lowered her head to gently smell its fragrance, and her mood suddenly became light and cheerful. "Zhi Wan, you’re such a treasure." After speaking, she caught sight of Lu Zhan standing under the eaves, looking their way. She deliberately reached out to give Zhi Wan a hug, then tucked the flower into her hair by her temple and smiled. "A beautiful flower for a beautiful lady. Mr. Lu, wouldn’t you agree?"
Zhi Wan was still reeling from the princess’s series of actions when she saw her cousin approaching, though she didn’t know when he had started walking over.
"I will see the Princess off," Lu Zhan’s voice was cold and distant.
The obvious intention to see her out made Princess Chang Le pout in disappointment. "Mr. Lu, isn’t it a bit premature for you to be acting as the master of the Zhi Mansion?"
"Not at all. The Emperor’s decree has been issued, and I will be marrying my cousin soon. When the time comes, I hope Your Highness will grace us with your presence for a celebratory drink," Lu Zhan said unhurriedly.
"Fine. When the time comes, I will definitely give you two a grand gift." After saying this, Princess Chang Le gave Zhi Wan a wink and then swept away with her attendants.
Feeling a little awkward, Zhi Wan quickly raised her hand to remove the flower from her hair, but her cousin beat her to it. He plucked the flower from her hair and then took the shears from her other hand.
She thought her cousin was angry, but then she saw him crouch down, plant the flower in the soil, and then use the shears to snip a perfectly bloomed purple rose from the bush.
"This color suits you better." Lu Zhan stood up and tucked the flower into her hair.
Zhi Wan snapped back to her senses, no longer concerned with her cousin’s abrupt actions. She quickly steadied his arm. "Why are you moving around so much? You’re going to pull at your wound again."
"I didn’t exert myself much. It’s fine," Lu Zhan said, his dark eyes fixed on her face.
Zhi Wan felt a little shy under his gaze. She lowered her head slightly and whispered, "What are you looking at?"
The corner of Lu Zhan’s lip curled up, but he said nothing. He took her hand and led her into the house.
Zhi Wan had just stepped into the house with her cousin when he suddenly turned and shut the door behind her.
The soft click startled Zhi Wan.
She looked at her cousin in surprise, wondering what he was about to do. The next moment, he had her pinned against the door.
Before she could react, the man’s fiery, slightly urgent kiss landed on her lips.
Zhi Wan’s eyelashes fluttered, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around her cousin’s narrow waist.
After kissing for a while, she remembered the servants were still standing outside, and she couldn’t help but blush.
Nestled in her cousin’s arms, she panted lightly and reminded him, "There are people outside..."
"Mm, I know." Lu Zhan’s voice was low and hoarse. His warm lips brushed past her small ear, finally settling on her neck.
Zhi Wan was ticklish, but she was also worried about being overheard. She bit her lip tightly, not daring to make a sound, but her squirming body only served to arouse Lu Zhan further.
So, he simply swept the girl up into his arms.
Zhi Wan jumped in fright. "Your arm...!"
Lu Zhan didn’t say a word, carrying her into the inner chamber.
When she was placed on the bed, Zhi Wan thought her cousin was about to do something to her. But instead, he let down the bed curtains and sat down outside them.
"Cousin?"
Staring at the man’s tall, straight back outside the curtains, Zhi Wan was completely baffled.
After a long moment, her cousin’s slightly hoarse voice sounded out, "Get some rest. I still have official business to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now."
Zhi Wan was taken aback for a moment, but she still nodded. "Be careful on your way."
"Mm," Lu Zhan responded quietly and got up to leave.
Once he had left, Zhi Wan sat up and took the purple flower from her hair.
She looked at it for a moment, then remembered something and quickly got out of bed to search for it.
A short while later, she found a book in a drawer.
Opening it, she saw a dried crabapple blossom lying quietly between the pages.
Looking at the crabapple blossom, Zhi Wan remembered the time in Yangzhou when her cousin had given her a flower.
She smiled and placed the purple rose into the book alongside it.
A flower viewing banquet was underway in the Eastern Palace.
Although the Crown Prince had an ulterior motive for the banquet, the Crown Princess Consort, Guo Yingrong, had still diligently prepared for it, ordering all the flowers of the season to be moved into the garden.
Looking at the pot after pot of gorgeous, dazzling blossoms, the young noblewomen were full of excitement, admiring them and commenting on their qualities.
That is, until Xuanyuan Hongjun arrived and kicked over a pot of particularly beautiful crape myrtle flowers.
"CRASH!"
With a shattering sound, the flowers and soil spilled all over the ground.
This sudden turn of events made the young noblewomen shriek. Once they saw it was the Crown Prince, they all paled and fell to their knees.
Guo Yingrong’s expression changed as well. She clutched her chest, taking a long moment to recover before stepping forward to advise, "Your Highness, why are you so enraged?"
She had hoped the Crown Prince would show a little restraint, as they were at a banquet with so many outsiders present.
But she had barely finished speaking when a solid slap landed across her face.
"You can’t even handle one simple task. What use do I have for you?"
