Lin Jiangnian arrived in Beijing safely, and Jiang Ningkang finally put his mind at ease.
Although he had never seen this nephew, he was his sister's child after all. Especially in Lin Jiangnian's face, he could vaguely see some of his sister's shadow, which made Jiang Ningkang dazed and a little nostalgic.
His sister, who had been so smart since childhood, had grown up to be this big in the blink of an eye!
While Jiang Ningkang was in a trance, he liked Lin Jiangnian even more. Especially when he found out that his nephew was not as bad as the rumors outside, Jiang Ningkang was even more happy.
After a brief greeting, Jiang Ningkang asked the maid to take his wife back to her room to rest, and then took Lin Jiangnian to the study.
In the study.
Jiang Ningkang looked at Lin Jiangnian with a gentle gaze and brought up the serious matter: "Jiangnian, are you coming to the capital this time to discuss your engagement with the eldest princess?"
Everyone knew about Lin Jiangnian's engagement with the princess, and it was indeed for this reason that he came to the capital. Therefore, Lin Jiangnian did not hide anything and nodded gently, "It is indeed for this matter."
Jiang Ningkang's eyes were slightly complicated. After a while, he sighed softly: "I'm sorry to trouble you."
Lin Jiangnian raised his eyes: "Uncle, why do you say that?"
Jiang Ningkang shook his head slightly, his face showing a complex and worried expression. "The situation in the capital is more complicated than you imagined. Your visit to the capital this time is not a good thing. I don't know whether it will be good or bad for you to establish a relationship with the princess..."
Jiang Ningkang is a member of one of the six ministries of the imperial court. Although his position is not high among the six ministries, he has a wide network of contacts and a very thorough understanding of the affairs in the court.
Because of this, he was well aware that the current situation in the imperial court was turbulent and that this was the most critical juncture. Lin Jiangnian's entry into the capital at this time was not a good choice. The previous assassination had already made the problem clear, but even greater dangers were likely to lie ahead.
Regarding this, Lin Jiangnian was not too worried: "Uncle, don't worry too much. I have already made preparations."
Jiang Ningkang wanted to give some instructions, but seeing Lin Jiangnian so calm and confident, he realized that his brother-in-law might have already anticipated this.
That's right. Although Jiang Ningkang didn't like his brother-in-law very much, he had to admit that Lin Hengzhong was indeed a man of great talent and strategy. Since he dared to let Lin Jiangnian go to Beijing alone, he must have anticipated this.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ningkang breathed a sigh of relief: "It seems that I was worrying too much, but..."
Having said that, Jiang Ningkang looked at Lin Jiangnian again, his expression slightly solemn: "Jiangnian, this capital is far more complicated than you imagined. Since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince fell ill, the court has become increasingly turbulent. You must be careful..."
Although Jiang Ningkang didn't say it explicitly, Lin Jiangnian also understood what he meant.
The emperor was in seclusion, ignoring state affairs. Factional strife was rampant at court, and with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince acting as regent, things were relatively stable. But now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had suddenly fallen ill, the atmosphere at court had shifted dramatically.
No one can guarantee what will happen next, especially in the capital, where some princes are still ready to make moves...
Lin Jiangnian could also hear that Jiang Ningkang's tone was full of concern for him: "Thank you for the reminder, uncle. I will be careful."
Jiang Ningkang nodded slightly, then thought of something and sighed softly, "Your Majesty, this time, I don't know how long he will be in seclusion. You just arrived in the capital, so stay here for a while. After His Majesty comes out of seclusion, I will arrange for you to go to the palace to meet His Majesty."
Lin Jiangnian said, "I'll follow my uncle's arrangements."
Jiang Ningkang looked at the handsome face in front of him, with a heroic air between his brows, and vaguely visible traces of familiarity. After being in a trance for a moment, he sighed and patted Lin Jiangnian's shoulder heavily.
As if he thought of something, his expression froze a little, "By the way, Jiang Nian..."
"You have to be careful of Her Royal Highness the Princess."
“…”
When he left the study, it was completely dark and already late. A maid in the corridor directed Lin Jiangnian to rest.
Arriving at the backyard, Lin Jiangnian waved his hand to dismiss the maid, went in alone, and recalled what Jiang Ningkang had just said to him.
Both Jiang Ningkang and Jiang's mother were extremely enthusiastic towards Lin Jiangnian. Although Jiang Ningkang didn't express it too clearly, his words showed his concern for Lin Jiangnian. He was happy about Lin Jiangnian's arrival, but he also had a lot of concerns. Especially Jiang Ningkang's last words that seemed like a wake-up call... Be careful of the eldest princess?
Lin Jiangnian pondered, Jiang Ningkang had been in the court for so many years, so he probably knew some inside information. Reminding Lin Jiangnian to be careful of the princess probably meant... that there was something wrong with the princess.
However, Jiang Ningkang did not say it explicitly, and Lin Jiangnian only had a rough guess.
He is not in a hurry!
When he first arrived in the capital, Lin Jiangnian's identity had not yet been exposed, and most people in the capital thought he was missing or dead. In addition, the emperor in the palace was still in seclusion.
As the son of a vassal prince, Lin Jiangnian's first priority upon arriving in Beijing was to present himself to the Emperor. However, the Emperor's seclusion had given Lin Jiangnian considerable time to relax. Before his audience with the Emperor, Lin Jiangnian still had much to do.
By the time he thought of this, Lin Jiangnian had already returned to the side courtyard and stood at the door of his room. He lived in the Jiang Mansion, and his room and courtyard were arranged in this quiet place. Coincidentally, it was arranged in the courtyard next to the kite.
Of course, it’s not certain whether it’s a coincidence!
Lin Jiangnian, who was about to return to his room, suddenly had an idea. Seeing that it was still early, he moved towards Zhiyuan's room next door.
He plans to find Zhiyuan to have a talk!
The courtyard was deserted, with not a single maid or servant in sight. It was dark and quiet, save for a light flickering in a room not far away. Lin Jiangnian approached slowly, his footsteps lightened.
When I got closer to the door of the room, I realized that the door was not closed. The slightly open door revealed light from the room. Through this ray of light, I could vaguely see a figure sitting in front of a dressing table behind a screen not far away in the room.
Lin Jiangnian was a little confused. Zhiyuan didn't rest in the middle of the night and didn't close the door. What was he doing?
With this in mind, Lin Jiangnian had a teasing intention. He gently pushed open the door, walked into the room with light steps, and made no sound.
After recovering from his injuries, Lin Jiangnian not only greatly increased his internal strength, but also gained better control over his body than before. Not only could he conceal his breath, he could even walk on the snow without leaving any traces and land silently.
Climbing over walls and climbing through windows, picking flowers and having affairs, he is far ahead.
Lin Jiangnian concealed his presence, walked lightly into the room, made no sound, and did not disturb the kite behind the screen.
In terms of martial arts strength, Zhiyuan is far superior to Lin Jiangnian, and he will be discovered if he is not careful. Therefore, Lin Jiangnian is extremely careful and approaches quietly.
In the quiet room, the dim light obscured Lin Jiangnian's presence. A faint, familiar fragrance filled the room. It was Zhiyuan's body odor, mixed with a hint of spices. It smelled very nice.
This made Lin Jiangnian somewhat nostalgic for the days when he and Zhiyuan shared a bed, cuddling each other and sleeping. With a thought in his mind, he took a light step and went behind the screen. At a table by the window, a figure sat quietly, their back to Lin Jiangnian. Their cool, cold silhouette was strikingly beautiful.
Taking advantage of the dim light, Lin Jiangnian hid his figure and moved closer. Suddenly, he bent down and hugged Zhiyuan from behind. Before she could react, Lin Jiangnian kissed her fair, delicate and tender face unexpectedly.
"Zhiyuan, have you ever thought about me..."
Before he could finish his words, Lin Jiangnian was stunned.
Something is wrong!
This isn't a kite?!
Having had many intimate contacts with Zhiyuan and even slept in the same bed several times, Lin Jiangnian was already very familiar with Zhiyuan's body.
The woman in his arms was obviously smaller and softer than Zhiyuan. Zhiyuan had practiced martial arts for many years, and although his body was equally soft, he and the woman in his arms had two completely different feelings.
In his arms was a soft and boneless body that seemed to be easily kneaded into a ball. The moment Lin Jiangnian hugged her from behind, she suddenly tensed and stiffened.
Not only that, the fragrance coming from the woman in his arms was completely different from that of the kite.
More importantly...
Lin Jiangnian hugged the woman from behind, and the full and firm feeling on his arm was completely different from the kite in his memory.
Kites are not small, but definitely not this big!
Not a kite?
Who is it?!
Lin Jiangnian subconsciously looked down. If the person in Zhiyuan's room wasn't Zhiyuan, who else could it be?
Looking down, he saw a beautiful and delicate profile, and shouted in shame and anger: "Who? How dare you!!"
The tone was harsh but weak, and the woman in his arms looked angry and turned her head away angrily.
In his sight, Lin Jiangnian saw a beautiful and delicate face.
A stunning face with a hint of blush and charm, a pair of indigo-like willow-leaf eyebrows, extremely long eyebrows that droop slightly at the ends, and bright eyes that are like two crescent moons.
She has a straight nose, a thin upper lip, but a very plump lower lip, and teeth as white and firm as pearls.
She had a stunning appearance, a quiet and elegant temperament. However, at this moment, this extremely beautiful woman turned her head away with a feeling of shame and anger. Her fair face flushed red, and her eyes, as cold as fire, stared at Lin Jiangnian.
But when she saw Lin Jiangnian's face that seemed so close to her, her pupils suddenly shrank again, and she couldn't believe it.
"you……"
This scene did not escape Lin Jiangnian's eyes.
The mature and gentle woman in front of him had a beautiful appearance, red and angry eyes, and seemed to be shocked when she saw Lin Jiangnian.
A figure soon appeared in Lin Jiangnian's mind.
"Auntie?"
At this moment, Jiang Yuxiang was also confused.
She was caught off guard and hugged from behind. The masculine scent made her feel terrified.
Before she could react, she felt warmth on her pretty face.
She shuddered violently, her whole body felt cold, and her mind went blank.
How could there be a man?
How did you get in?!
Could it be some ignorant servant who doesn't know his place? !
Shocked and angry, Jiang Yuxiang turned her head suddenly, and the next second she saw a familiar face.
Very familiar!
Even though they hadn't seen each other for a few years, Jiang Yuxiang recognized him at the first sight.
Lin Jiangnian?
Prince Lin?
My sister's child?!
At that moment, for some reason, Jiang Yuxiang felt a sense of relief. But then, a wave of shame and anger surged in her heart.
"Why don't you let go?"
Her voice was filled with shame and anger, and there was an imperceptible tremor.
Lin Jiangnian woke up as if from a dream, let go of Jiang Yuxiang in his arms, took a step back, and his face had a very wonderful expression.
Aunt?!
Jiang Yuxiang, who had regained her freedom, stood up in a panic, quickly tidied her messy clothes, touched her face, and felt the warm breath on her face. Her eyes became more and more ashamed and angry. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Then she turned around abruptly, staring at Lin Jiangnian, and sneered: "Well, after not seeing you for a few years, you are getting more and more bold. You even dare to take advantage of your aunt?"
Looking at Jiang Yuxiang, the woman in front of him who was only a few years older than him but acted like an elder educating a younger person, Lin Jiangnian felt a little strange.
The woman before him was named Jiang Yuxiang, nominally the aunt of Prince Lin. Although she was an aunt, Jiang Yuxiang was only twenty-six years old, the age when a woman was at her most mature and blossoming.
This was the case with Jiang Yuxiang in front of him at the moment. The blush on her fair cheeks had not yet completely faded. She stared at Lin Jiangnian with shame and anger, with a questioning look in her eyes.
Her long black hair was tied into a simple, beautiful bun on top of her head, pinned with a unique, flaming jade hairpin. Her demeanor was gentle and demure, her appearance akin to that of a lady from a noble family. But at this moment, she squinted at Lin Jiangnian with a sneer of shame and anger, perhaps because she was angry. Her breathing was rapid, and her full breasts rose and fell beneath her light-colored gown.
Lin Jiangnian looked at the woman in front of him who was staring at him with shame and anger, and coughed lightly: "Auntie, this is all a misunderstanding..."
"Misunderstand?"
Jiang Yuxiang sneered: "What did I misunderstand?"
"You are getting more and more courageous, kid!"
As she spoke, Jiang Yuxiang came forward angrily and grabbed Lin Jiangnian's ear. Lin Jiangnian subconsciously wanted to dodge, but he thought of something and stopped, and was grabbed by Jiang Yuxiang's ear.
"I haven't seen you for a few years, and I haven't taught you a lesson. You've become really unscrupulous, haven't you? You even dare to take advantage of your aunt? I heard that you can even force yourself on little girls? Huh?!"
Jiang Yuxiang was half a head shorter than Lin Jiangnian, but she looked very imposing when standing in front of Lin Jiangnian. She grabbed Lin Jiangnian's ear with one of her white jade hands and started to teach him a lesson.
Lin Jiangnian half-bent over, lowered his head, and grimaced: "Auntie, it hurts!"
"Hurt? You still feel pain? I'm going to pinch you to death!"
Jiang Yuxiang spoke fiercely, and increased the strength of his hands, but in the end, he still didn't use much force.
Lin Jiangnian cooperated very well and pretended to be in pain.
Although he had no impression of Jiang Yuxiang, before coming to Beijing, Lin Jiangnian had already thoroughly investigated this aunt and knew her like the back of his hand!
"Auntie, be gentle, it hurts...Auntie, I was wrong..."
As expected, seeing Lin Jiangnian acting so pitifully, Jiang Yuxiang finally felt satisfied and let go of his hand, but a sneer still remained on her face: "You know you're wrong? What's wrong?"
"Whatever my aunt says I'm wrong about, I'm wrong about it."
"Oh, you're quite smooth-talking?"
Jiang Yuxiang sneered again, but this made her mood more stable, and the shame and anger she had just felt at being kissed also subsided a lot.
He looked Lin Jiangnian up and down and said, "I haven't seen you for a few years. You look like a decent person, but your character hasn't changed at all."
"Auntie, are you praising me or scolding me?"
"What do you think?"
Jiang Yuxiang glared at him.
Lin Jiangnian coughed, then remembered something and changed the subject: "By the way, aunt, why are you here? Where is Zhiyuan?"
He clearly remembered that Zhiyuan had said that his aunt had gone to the palace today and would not be back until tomorrow.
When Jiang Yuxiang mentioned this, a cloud of worry appeared on her face, and then she waved her hand: "The Queen is not feeling well, so I came back first."
At this point, Jiang Yuxiang seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly narrowed her eyes and looked Lin Jiangnian up and down: "Wait, you just..."
"Actually, you want to hold a kite, right?"
Jiang Yuxiang then realized why Lin Jiangnian suddenly hugged her when he broke into the room just now?
Did you pick up the wrong person?
So who does he want to hug?
This is Zhiyuan's room, so he...
The person you wanted to kiss just now was Zhiyuan?
Jiang Yuxiang's eyes gradually became playful as she looked Lin Jiangnian up and down, crossing her arms over her chest, squeezing her already full and upright breasts even more obviously.
"Tell me, what is your relationship with Zhiyuan now?!"
“…”