After entering the book, the cold prince begs for favor

Chapter 433 I'll follow you to the ends of the earth

Two weeks later, in an inconspicuous teahouse.

In the celadon teacup, the emerald green tea soup swayed gently.

Lu Jiangnian raised his hand to pour tea for the Crown Prince, the water tracing a graceful arc in the air.

"Your Highness knows that the Emperor is waiting to find fault with you, so why should I risk offending him?"

His voice was soft, yet every word was clear.

The Crown Prince smiled bitterly, stroking the rim of his cup. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on his face. "We've known each other for many years. If I were to remain silent simply to protect myself, how disheartened would those who follow me be?"

He paused, his voice even lower: "Besides, even if I don't plead for you, do you think Father will show me any more favor?"

Lu Jiangnian put down the teapot, and the porcelain clinked together with a crisp sound.

“Your Highness,” his gaze suddenly sharpened, “don’t you understand? The most dangerous one is never me.”

The prince's pupils contracted sharply, and he nearly dropped the teacup in his hand.

He certainly understood the deeper meaning behind Lu Jiangnian's words—his father was now most wary of him, the crown prince.

"Father is old."

The crown prince's voice trembled slightly, "Like a wounded lone wolf, it begins to tear apart every wolf around it, fearing it will be replaced."

He recalled the historical records he had seen the other day, which stated that the emperor had not visited any of his concubines in the harem for a long time. Even when his most favored concubine, Lady Zhaohua, was summoned to the emperor's bedchamber, she merely kept him company and chatted with him.

Last night, I dreamt of my childhood, when my father taught me to ride a horse...

The crown prince's voice choked with emotion, sunlight illuminating the tears glistening in his eyes. "Back then, my father truly loved me."

But when he woke up from the dream, the person who was suffocating him in reality was his own father, the emperor.

Lu Jiangnian suddenly stood up, his black robes billowing in the breeze: "These past years I've been busy with official duties, rarely having any leisure time. This is a good opportunity to spend more time with my wife, enjoying flowers and tea."

He walked to the door, then stopped. "Your Highness," he said, "a decision must be made when necessary."

After saying that, he gently pushed open the door and left, leaving the prince alone staring blankly at the half-cooled tea.

Outside the private room, the faint cries of vendors could be heard, but they could no longer mask the heavy atmosphere inside.

As the prince gazed at the falling leaves outside the window, he suddenly realized that autumn had arrived in the capital earlier than in previous years.

-

The day after Liang Yuhua's "death," Madam Lu packed her things and left the capital early in the morning.

This time, her departure was so decisive and swift that it took Yuan Wanru quite a surprise.

However, the people in the mansion no longer cared about Old Madam Lu.

"I heard the Emperor was concerned about Miss Liang..."

"Yes, the heir apparent has been stripped of his position. The Emperor must be furious!"

Shh! Keep your voice down!

The news of Lu Jiangnian's dismissal came like a thunderclap, sending panic through the entire Lu family.

Zhou Fang cursed all day long: "It's all because of that jinx Zhou Jianming! He's brought such a calamity upon our Lu family!"

When these rumors reached Yuan Wanru's ears, she simply sneered.

What outsiders didn't know was that the real reason for the Emperor's fury was not Liang Yuhua's death, but that his carefully planned scheme had been foiled, and he was simply taking his anger out on Lu Jiangnian.

Lu Yuxiu originally wanted to make a scene, but many of the murder cases involving the Zhou family were related to her.

Lu Jiangnian acted swiftly and decisively, immediately ordering that she and Zhou Jianming be escorted back to Jiangnan for trial, where they were detained and sentenced by the local government.

"Jiang Nian,"

Wang Min arrived at Lingshui Residence with a worried expression. "Why don't you have your father plead with the Emperor?"

Lu Jiangnian was pruning a pot of orchids. Hearing this, he didn't even look up: "Mother, don't worry. I'll take this opportunity to rest."

He put down the scissors, his tone relaxed, "I've been so busy with official duties these past few years that I haven't been able to spend much time with you."

Seeing that he seemed unaffected, Wang Min felt somewhat relieved. Before leaving, she reminded Yuan Wanru, "Wanru, you must pay close attention to Jiang Nian's feelings these days."

"Mother, don't worry. My husband isn't one to act recklessly. He'll be fine."

After seeing Wang Min off, Yuan Wanru gently closed the door.

As she turned around, she saw Lu Jiangnian leaning against the soft couch by the window, holding a cup of tea in his hands. Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on his handsome profile.

“Everyone outside says you’ve suffered a great injustice,” Yuan Wanru said, moving gracefully to sit down beside him. “Only I know how relieved you feel right now.”

She reached out and brushed away non-existent dust from his shoulder, her eyes brimming with laughter.

Lu Jiangnian stretched out his long arm and pulled the person into his arms.

Yuan Wanru leaned against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. "That's exactly right."

He chuckled softly, his warm breath brushing against the top of her head. "This year, the days I spent with my wife at the villa were blissful, like those of a celestial being."

These days, he doesn't have to attend court, and he's been having all sorts of fun at night, making Yuan Wanru's legs go weak whenever she sees a bed.

I really wish I could send him back to court.

Lu Jiangnian played with a strand of her hair with his long, slender fingers: "I was already planning to resign from my post, and this has actually saved me a lot of trouble."

He paused, then added, "Once things are settled here, shall we go to the southern border to visit my mother-in-law?"

Yuan Wanru tilted her head back, a glint of light in her eyes: "Okay."

She suddenly remembered something and tugged at his sleeve. "Before we go to southern Xinjiang, how about we go back to Nanjiang County for a while? Grandmother wrote to me the other day saying she misses me."

“All up to you.”

Lu Jiangnian affectionately pinched the tip of her nose.

Yuan Wanru's eyes lit up, and she sat up straight with great interest: "Also, I want to go find my godfather and Tang Tai."

"They practice medicine to help the needy, and I want to become an itinerant doctor too; it sounds like it would be a lot of fun."

Tang Bo's name could no longer be mentioned, so he simply changed his name to "Tang Tai".

Lu Jiangnian looked at her with doting eyes and hugged her even tighter: "Alright, I'll carry the medicine box for you then, my wife."

Yuan Wanru leaned against Lu Jiangnian's chest, her fingertips gently tracing the cloud patterns on his clothes: "I still want to go to Jiangnan to see the misty rain, and to the northern frontier to admire the snow-covered plains..."

She tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling like tiny stars. "Won't you think I'm being too greedy?"

Lu Jiangnian chuckled softly, his slender fingers tracing her delicate features: "I'll follow you to the ends of the earth."

He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "It is my great fortune to travel the world with my wife."

Yuan Wanru smiled, her eyes crinkling, then suddenly straightened up: "I really want to set off right now!"

Lu Jiangnian slowly shook his head, his eyes darkening slightly: "Now is not the time."

These words caused Yuan Wanru's smile to gradually fade.

She looked out the window. Since Liang Yuhua's "death," the emperor had not only not withdrawn the secret guards who were keeping watch over her, but had instead sent more people.

"It seems..."

She sighed softly, "The Emperor is determined to keep a close watch on us."

Lu Jiangnian took her slightly cool hand in his, his fingertips gently stroking her palm: "It's alright."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness: "Let them watch."

Yuan Wanru leaned close to his ear and whispered, "How's that matter going?"

Lu Jiangnian hugged her waist tighter and whispered in her ear, "Everything is ready, just waiting for the right moment. My wife, just wait patiently."

Yuan Wanru met his gaze, then lay lazily in his arms: "Okay, according to my calculations, we should have news in less than three months."

Lu Jiangnian said proudly, "My wife is the most amazing."

Three months later, everything settled down.