Yan Zhao walked into the sleeping quarters and saw Regent Xue Wenjie standing by the window with his hands behind his back.
"Greetings, Your Highness. I did not expect your arrival and thus failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!" Yan Zhao stepped forward and said calmly, cupping his hands slightly.
Xue Wenjie turned around and looked at Yan Zhao, who lowered his gaze before him. His eyes grew cold. "Young Master Yan, you have disappointed me greatly."
Yan Zhao's lowered eyes flickered slightly, a hint of sharpness crossing them. "Your Highness, it was my oversight that has disappointed you."
Xue Wenjie replied coldly, "I know this matter cannot be solely blamed on Young Master Yan. After all, Young Master Yan has never tried to please others, which must be quite difficult for you."
"Your Highness is wise!" Yan Zhao said.
Seeing this, Xue Wenjie's expression brightened, and he continued, "Therefore, I have found someone for Young Master Yan to compete for favor."
Yan Zhao's gaze paused, and he looked up at Xue Wenjie, asking indifferently, "Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"
Xue Wenjie sneered and said coldly, "Does Young Master Yan not believe I will sit idly by?"
"That is not what I meant." Yan Zhao lowered his eyes, hiding the strange gleam within them.
Xue Wenjie sighed and took a few steps forward. Yan Zhao's gaze fell upon his boots with dark golden threads. "Young Master Yan, I know this may make you uncomfortable, but I hope you can understand me. I have waited too long."
Ever since his elder brother ascended the throne, he had been waiting. Finally, his elder brother died, and he thought his elder brother would give him the position. Yet, to his surprise, his elder brother was willing to give the throne to a mere girl who hadn't even grown proper hair, rather than to him.
"Your Highness worries too much. I have not served Your Highness well, so what Your Highness is doing is only right." Yan Zhao said with a faint expression.
Xue Wenjie laughed heartily. "I knew Young Master Yan was not such a petty person. Rest assured, Young Master Yan, you still hold the most importance in my heart."
Yan Zhao's expression remained indifferent, as if he were merely hearing a joke.
Seeing this, Xue Wenjie felt bored and thought to himself that if he were the Empress, he would have no interest in such a dull person.
What was the use of peerless beauty without an interesting soul? It was all in vain.
Xue Wenjie turned around and clapped his hands. A tall and handsome figure suddenly appeared at the doorway.
The youth was dressed in a plain blue robe, without any patterns. He stood there, unmoving.
"Come in," Xue Wenjie said.
The youth walked towards them slowly, neither arrogant nor servile, exuding an ethereal aura.
The youth possessed a fair and handsome face, the kind favored by women nowadays, and his eyes were full of charm.
He had a superior appearance.
"Qing Yi pays respects to Your Highness and to Young Master Yan." Qing Yi bowed and cupped his hands.
Xue Wenjie smiled and said, "Qing Yi, you will assist Young Master Yan more in the future."
Upon hearing this, Qing Yi looked up, his eyes full of suave elegance. "Please forgive my shortcomings, Young Master Yan. I hope you will be more accommodating to me."
Yan Zhao responded faintly.
"You will stay here from now on," Xue Wenjie said.
Qing Yi bowed and replied, "Yes."
"You may leave now!" Xue Wenjie waved his hand.
After bowing, Qing Yi retreated.
Watching Qing Yi's retreating figure, Yan Zhao's gaze grew significantly colder.
Xue Wenjie said, "Young Master Yan, I will have to trouble you to take good care of Qing Yi from now on."
"Your Highness is too kind," Yan Zhao replied coldly.
"With Young Master Yan's words, I am much more at ease. I hope this time you will not disappoint me," Xue Wenjie said, looking at him meaningfully.
After Xue Wenjie left, Yan Yi and Yan Er, who had been guarding the outer hall, entered the inner hall.
Yan Yi asked, "Young Master, what is the matter with that youth?"
Yan Zhao looked up at Qing Yi, who was standing in the outer hall, and rubbed his forehead. "Regent sent him over."
Yan Yi looked confused. "Young Master, since when did you like men?"
Yan Zhao looked at him faintly. Yan Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly hugged himself, saying with lingering fear, "Young Master, Yan Yi likes women."
Yan Er couldn't stand it any longer and said, "Yan Yi, can't your brain stop thinking about useless things all day? This person was naturally sent by the Regent to the Empress."
Yan Yi was relieved and scratched his head awkwardly, laughing. "So that's how it is. Yan Yi was overthinking. Please forgive me, Young Master!"
Soon, Yan Yi thought of something else. "Does the Regent's action mean that Young Master has lost favor, which is why he wants to send someone here?"
Yan Er snorted coldly. "You're finally smart."
Hearing this, Yan Yi turned to look at his young master's increasingly dark expression and couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, have you really lost favor?"
"Get out," Yan Zhao said coldly.
Yan Yi shivered inexplicably. Had he not said anything wrong? Why was his young master so angry?
While he was still puzzled, Yan Er dragged him out.
Finally, with peace around him, Yan Zhao walked out of the inner hall. The handsome figure was still standing outside the door.
He said faintly, "Why have you come here?"
Qing Yi was slightly stunned. After a moment, he realized Yan Zhao was speaking to him. He bowed respectfully. "It is my good fortune to be able to serve Your Highness."
Yan Zhao heard this and his gaze was faint, but it held a hint of coldness. "Has a once glorious noble family now fallen to such a state?"
Qing Yi trembled all over, his eyes, which hid their sharpness, lowered. "I don't understand what Young Master Yan is talking about."
Yan Zhao glanced at him and said faintly, "I don't know what you intend to do, and I can't control it. But remember, don't play any tricks in front of me, or else..."
Not far away, a tree as thick as a bowl was cut down through the air.
Qing Yi trembled all over, his eyes widening. He hadn't expected that someone could actually manifest a sword from thin air, and this person was right beside him.
He couldn't help but turn to look at the person beside him. He saw only half of a profile, but even this half-profile made him marvel.
This was an astonishing beauty, rarely encountered in a lifetime.
If the Empress didn't fancy someone like this, then what about him?
What would happen with just a bit of Yan Zhao's appearance?
"Go back and rest!" Yan Zhao dismissed him.
Qing Yi bowed and said, "I take my leave!"
The next day, the news of the Regent sending someone reached Xue Zining's ears.
"She didn't fall for Yan Zhao, and now another one?" Xue Zining sneered.
That was fine. She had some time recently, and she would play with him slowly.
In the evening, the Yan Palace welcomed the Empress.
Qing Yi, standing in the outer hall, paused. Hadn't the Empress already grown to dislike Yan Zhao?
He had thought he wouldn't see the Empress here, and he was looking for an opportunity to encounter her. He hadn't expected to see the Empress on his second day at the Yan Palace.
He couldn't help but steal a glance, his gaze fixed on the doorway.
He saw a graceful figure enter, tall and slender.