The room immediately began to fill with the scent of heather blossoms, as if spring had arrived.

Yang Guifei glared at Chen Yuan, her face still displaying lingering shock:

"You... you... how dare you be so presumptuous!"

Recalling the earlier scene, Yang Guifei felt immense horror. Chen Yuan had dared to make her do such things, it was simply... simply unacceptable.

Chen Yuan remained calm, exhaling a long breath, feeling a sense of pleasure, glanced at Yang Guifei, and said indifferently, "Presumptuous? Chen doesn't think so. Wasn't it the Guifei who took the initiative?"

"You..."

Yang Guifei froze, unsure of what to say. It had indeed been abrupt at first, but not so later.

"A pity, it is said that this object has beauty-enhancing effects."

Chen Yuan glanced at the item on the ground and shook his head slowly.

A hint of shame mixed with surprise appeared on Yang Guifei's face.

After a long silence, she finally suppressed some of the strangeness in her heart, directly picked up the cup on the table and drank it in one gulp, then spat the tea on the ground.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Guifei recalled what Sima Ke had said earlier and stared at Chen Yuan:

"Chen Yuan, I can allow you to be presumptuous, but you must never touch Pingyang, or if it spreads, how can my daughter and I face others?"

Chen Yuan looked up at her:

"Does it mean that having relations with Guifei alone would not spread?"

Yang Guifei snorted:

"Just remember this, I will absolutely not allow it."

Chen Yuan beckoned, and Yang Guifei, puzzled, took a few steps forward and looked at him with a frown, asking, "No matter what reasons or sophistry you offer, I won't..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Chen Yuan's palm gripped Yang Guifei's neck, his eyes looking at her indifferently:

"Are you teaching me what to do?"

"You... let... go..."

Yang Guifei's face was filled with horror. Chen Yuan's palm, gripping her neck, conveyed a powerful force of suppression, making her unable to move at all.

Chen Yuan tightened his grip slightly, his tone calm:

"In the future, I don't want to hear you say such things again, understand?"

"Under... understand."

"If you want me to help you and your son, you must first act like you are asking for a favor. Don't think that Chen cannot do without you. Now, continue to kneel..."

Chen Yuan's tone was unquestionable.

Then, the hand that felt like iron pliers released her. Yang Guifei, with a look of horror, gasped for breath. Looking at Chen Yuan's suddenly changed expression,

After a moment of contemplation, she did as she was told.

"Alright, it's getting late. Guifei should return to the palace early, lest you be noticed," Chen Yuan said, looking down at the woman in front of him after a dozen breaths.

Yang Guifei exhaled a long breath and quickly stood up from the ground. She glanced at Chen Yuan with pursed lips and turned to leave. But for some reason, Chen Yuan's fierce and forceful attitude earlier did not make her feel resentment.

Instead, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction and could not hate Chen Yuan at all. It was as if what she had just experienced was not humiliation. What she didn't know was that under the power of the mind transformation,

She would only submit to Chen Yuan even more, as if facing a god!

Reaching the door, Yang Guifei grabbed the door frame, hesitating for a moment, but still turned her head and said in a low voice, "Hope Qing Shi is going well in Liangzhou."

After saying that, she put on a black veil and quickly left.

Watching the figure leave, a faint sneer appeared on the corner of Chen Yuan's mouth, as if everything was under his control.

......

......

A night without words.

A peaceful night.

In the early morning, as the first ray of sunlight shone through the window, Chen Yuan, who had been sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes, his eyes shooting out a golden light. He twisted his neck slightly, and his whole body made a 'creak, creak' sound.

Chen Yuan exhaled a long breath and with a wave of his hand, all the Essence Crystals in the room were collected into the Heavenly Book space.

Stepping out of the room, Chen Yuan looked up at the sky, knowing in his heart that he would be leaving the capital today, leaving this place that was somewhat like a cage to him.

As usual, Chen Yuan had breakfast, drank a pot of spiritual tea alone in the backyard, then changed into a black robe and left the Wuwei Marquis residence straight away.

This day was the ninth year of Jingtai in the Great Jin Dynasty, February 22nd. Chen Yuan officially left the capital to take office in Liangzhou.

If Chen Yuan leaving Ping'an County on August 29th of the seventh year of Jingtai to take office in Nanling Prefecture was like a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss, then now it was a dragon entering the sea!

Chen Yuan's departure seemed very calm, but in reality, it touched the hearts of many people.

Zhang Residence, backyard.

Zhang Erjie sat in the pavilion, holding her chin in her hands, listlessly watching the golden little fish swimming in front of her, her mind seemed to have drifted far away.

She didn't even notice Zhang Yantong appearing in front of her at first.

It was only after Zhang Yantong sat down slowly that she noticed the anomaly and said:

"Father didn't go to the Sky Patrol Department?"

Zhang Yantong smiled:

"Nothing to do today, just came to see you."

"See me?"

Zhang Erjie was a little surprised. In her impression, her father, Zhang Yantong, had always been very busy, especially in recent years, and rarely had time to accompany them, his siblings.

Moreover, she didn't seem to have caused any trouble, right?

Seeming to see Zhang Wanshu's confusion, Zhang Yantong slowly said:

"Chen Yuan is gone."

"Mm."

Zhang Erjie nodded without saying much.

"What do you think?"

Zhang Yantong hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"What do you mean, what do I think?"

"Are you still hiding it from your father? Haven't you long been fond of that Chen Yuan kid?"

"Father, don't talk nonsense."

A touch of shyness flashed across Zhang Erjie's face.

"Wanshu, you've already made it so obvious, can't your father see it? Haven't you already put that divine talisman in a sachet and given it to Chen Yuan?"

"Father, you... you're monitoring me?"

Zhang Wanshu was a little unhappy.

"Your father is doing it for your own good."

Zhang Erjie snorted lightly and turned her head away from him.

"Chen Yuan is indeed a rare talent, but for you, he's actually not a good match." Zhang Yantong knew that this sentence was a bit cruel, but he still said it calmly.

"What does Father mean?"

Zhang Erjie's eyes were a little puzzled.

"Chen Yuan's talent is unparalleled. Looking at the world, no one can compare to him, but the more this is the case, the less he can be considered a good match. His temperament is decent, but your father can see that this person's desire for power is very strong. Although he can't be said to be a person who can abandon everything for profit, he can definitely abandon the vast majority!"

"Such people often have high aspirations and will not be bound by romantic affairs. For you, it's actually..."

"Shouldn't a good man have ambitions in all directions? If Chen Yuan was really bound by romantic affairs, I probably wouldn't even look at him," Zhang Wanshu immediately said.

Looking at the expression in his daughter's eyes, Zhang Yantong frowned and decided to say some things that would make her give up:

"Do you know about the rumors that spread some time ago about Chen Yuan and Princess Pingyang?"

"Isn't that just a rumor?"

Zhang Erjie asked.

But Zhang Yantong smiled mysteriously:

"Rumor? Then, Wanshu, have you ever thought about where this 'rumor' came from? It can't be groundless, right?"

"What does Father mean?"

Zhang Wanshu frowned.

"Yes, in your father's opinion, this rumor was instructed by His Majesty. Facing a peerless genius like Chen Yuan, a future seed of a True Lord, how could His Majesty not win him over?

And to tie this person down, nothing is better than having the Princess marry him and form a marriage alliance. There may even be other means used."

Zhang Yantong's eyes were solemn, and he continued:

"His Majesty's heart is cold, and his methods are extraordinary. He will definitely use Chen Yuan as a sharp blade of the Sima imperial family to cut through some of the decline in the court.

Your father has been thinking about it these days and feels that Chen Yuan was able to ascend to the position of Golden Envoy of Liangzhou so quickly, overcoming all opposition. It's likely that it was instructed by His Majesty.

This time, if Chen Yuan does well in Liangzhou, he will definitely find a way to bestow a marriage to reward his achievements. Even if he doesn't do well, he will think of other ways.

In short, to snatch someone from His Majesty, to compete for a husband with the Princess, Wanshu, do you think you can do it? Do you think the strength of the Zhang family can resist the royal family?"

Although this matter was a bit cruel, Zhang Yantong felt that it was better to tell her some things earlier.

Although those earlier were just some of his guesses, he felt that this guess was very likely to come true.

After listening, Zhang Erjie opened her mouth and remained silent for a long time:

"Daughter understands."

She had no confidence in competing for a husband with the Princess, and she did not want to make the Zhang family disobey the imperial family, because it would bring disaster to the Zhang family.

Seeing the lost look in his daughter's eyes, Zhang Yantong felt a little unbearable and said in a deep voice:

"That's just the most important reason, there are actually some other reasons."

"What?"

"Although this Chen Yuan kid claims to be indifferent to women, he's not alone. As far as your father knows, he has kept many women.

That one in Tangshan Prefecture is just one of them. Even if there is no Princess and His Majesty, wouldn't Wanshu want to be a concubine?"

Many women were naturally Zhang Yantong's kind lie. He just didn't want to see his daughter feeling lost and distraught because of Chen Yuan. He did value Chen Yuan and regarded him as a future powerhouse.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed Wanshu to give the divine talisman to Chen Yuan.

But planning is planning, and it has nothing to do with family.

Zhang Wanshu raised her head and glanced at Zhang Yantong, nodded, and didn't say much.

She believed what he said earlier, but she didn't believe that Chen Yuan had many women. Zhang Xuan had been sending her letters for a long time and had already learned a lot about Chen Yuan's situation.

At most, there were only two women related to Chen Yuan, and neither of them was a big threat. Shen Yanshu had separated long ago and entered the Goddess Palace to cultivate.

Madam Xu was old and could only be a concubine at most.

Relatively speaking, Chen Yuan was already very restrained.

Which of the dignitaries in the capital didn't have three wives and four concubines? And countless maids?

Under the influence of such customs, Zhang Erjie felt that two women were not a big deal at all.

There were too few who were devoted to one person, and she didn't expect that.

She was just looking at the fish in the lake, thinking to herself:

"Why are you so outstanding, you guy? Can't you be a little more mediocre?"

......

......

"No."

Inside Chunhua Palace, Yang Guifei directly rejected the thing in the palace maid's hand.

"Your Majesty, these are already jades that this servant carefully selected from the treasury. Can you state some requirements so that this servant can find them."

The maid knelt on the ground and said in a low voice.

Yang Guifei's eyes flickered, and after a long time, she said:

"This jade is too thin. It's hard to play with it. Qing'er, you... go find a bigger one for this palace."

"Yes, this servant obeys."

As long as there were requirements, the rest would be easy to find. Although she didn't know what the Imperial Concubine wanted this thing for, she would just do as she was told, and she didn't dare to ask too much.

Looking at Qing'er's receding figure, Yang Guifei sat at the top and rubbed her head. Ever since she left Chen's mansion last night, every time she closed her eyes, all she thought about were those images.

They were simply unbearable and disgraced gentility.

In the end, she could only find a way to think of the person by seeing the object.

Exhaling a long turbid breath, Yang Guifei's gaze turned outside the palace, as if she saw Chen Yuan's departing figure, and even smiled at her when he left.

Yang Guifei ran a finger across her cheek and closed her eyes.

And the cheek she stroked was the half of her face that Chen Yuan had slapped in Shuanghe Taoist Temple. It had now been completely reduced in swelling, but she felt like it had hit her heart.

She couldn't forget it, and that was why she had sneaked out of the harem after Sima Ke said those words yesterday.

It's a pity that Chen Yuan didn't slap her again last night.

Pingyang Princess Mansion.

Princess Pingyang frowned slightly as she looked at her younger brother, her eyes showing some displeasure. She asked coldly:

"Why did you run here? Why don't you spend this time reading a few more books and practicing more martial arts?"

Sima Ke smiled sheepishly:

"Imperial Sister, please don't be offended. This younger brother just misses Imperial Sister and came to see you."

"You've seen me, now leave."

Princess Pingyang said lightly.

"We are blood-related siblings. Imperial Sister wouldn't dislike this younger brother so much, right?" Sima Ke's face showed some displeasure as he spoke.

Princess Pingyang stared at Sima Ke for a glance and didn't say much.

But Sima Ke broke the silence after a moment of silence and said:

"Imperial Sister, Chen Qing Shi... left today."

"What, do you still want to deal with this person?"

Princess Pingyang raised her eyebrows.

Sima Ke shook his head repeatedly:

"After the previous lesson, how could this younger brother still target this person?"

"Then why are you still paying attention to him?"

"Actually, this younger brother is paying attention to him for Imperial Sister." Sima Ke continued.

"Oh?"

"This younger brother knows that Imperial Sister is proud and unwilling to marry a mediocre person. That's why you've been delayed until now. This younger brother is worried every time I think about it. Yesterday, I suddenly thought of a very suitable candidate, so I came to ask for Imperial Sister's opinion."

Sima Ke didn't listen to Chen Yuan's words at all. In his opinion, his Imperial Sister Pingyang was beautiful. With Chen Yuan's personality, it was impossible for him not to covet her, but he was just embarrassed to say more.

But he understood in his heart.

Therefore, he came to visit Imperial Sister today. Even if it didn't work out, he had to deepen the impression. If it really worked out in the future, he would have Imperial Sister Pingyang,

And brother-in-law Chen Yuan to help him. What would he have to worry about if the position of Crown Prince was uncertain?

At the very least, he still had his mother, Consort Yang, and his adoptive father, Chen Qing Shi, to help him. With such a two-pronged approach, he didn't believe that Chen Yuan wouldn't do his best to help him!

Princess Pingyang stared at Sima Ke and said coldly:

"It's not your turn to worry about this princess's affairs. Don't mention this matter again in the future, or don't blame this Imperial Sister for being ruthless and not letting you enter the Princess Mansion again."

"Imperial Sister doesn't want to hear who this younger brother is talking about?"

"Don't want to."

"It's Chen Yuan, the former Demon Blade, the current Golden Envoy of Liangzhou, Chen Yuan! His talent is unparalleled in the world, his appearance is outstanding, and his ability is outstanding. In this younger brother's opinion, only such a person can be worthy of Imperial Sister."

Sima Ke blurted out immediately.

"So what?" Princess Pingyang's eyes flickered, and then she said:

"Aren't you at odds with Chen Yuan? Why are you saying such things today? Could it be that you want this princess to help you deal with Chen Qing Shi?"

"That's naturally not the case. As the saying goes, it's better to resolve feuds than to create them. Chen Yuan is too difficult to deal with. How could this younger brother fight him to the death? With such a strong ally, it's even too late to befriend him. How could I use Imperial Sister?"

Sima Ke explained quickly.

Princess Pingyang raised her head, her expression still calm:

"Don't mention this matter again. I don't need you to worry about this princess's affairs. If you really want to compete for the position of Crown Prince, then consolidate your foundation and don't think about relying on anyone's power.

Who in the court is more powerful than the imperial family?

As long as you gain your father's favor, you don't need to win over anyone and you can stabilize the situation."

"Imperial Sister, I..."

"Alright, this princess is tired. You should leave now."

Princess Pingyang directly issued an order to send him away.

She was becoming more and more disgusted with this younger brother, especially after guessing the simple 'Consort Shu Case' earlier.

She was unwilling to have any deep contact with him anymore.

This child cannot achieve great things!

Sima Ke's face turned pale and then white, but looking at Princess Pingyang's indifferent expression, he didn't dare to say anything more. He could only apologize and turn to leave.

After he had completely left, Princess Pingyang said in a condensed voice:

"What happened?"

From behind the screen, a figure knelt on one knee and said respectfully:

"Reporting to Your Highness, this subordinate accidentally discovered some traces of the people of the Wusheng Sect within the imperial city."

"The Wusheng Sect."

Princess Pingyang's face immediately became extremely solemn:

"Has this matter been investigated?"

"It hasn't been investigated yet, but there are traces of their activities. This subordinate is worried that something will happen and came to report to Your Highness."

"It seems that the incident of the Daoshen Palace causing havoc in the imperial city earlier has made these demons unable to restrain themselves." A slight murderous intent flashed across Princess Pingyang's face.

"What does Your Highness think should be done?"

Princess Pingyang's fingers tapped the table constantly, and after a long silence, she instructed:

"Reveal this matter to the Sky Patrol Department and the Royal Monitoring Department. This kind of thing needs them to take care of."

"Yes, this subordinate understands."

"Alright, step down."

"This subordinate takes his leave."

The shadow bowed and retreated, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

Princess Pingyang sat in place and pondered for a long time. Finally, she slowly picked up a pen and wrote a few lines of poetry on the paper in front of her.

"Heroes of the world emerge from my generation, once entering the Jianghu, time urges. Talking and laughing about great plans and hegemony, nothing surpasses a drunk in this world!"

Then, she wrote two words next to it.

"Chen Yuan!"

Looking at the poem in front of her, Princess Pingyang's eyes were deep, and she didn't know what she was thinking.