Following Everywhere He Goes 6

"Qingyan."

"What?"

Chu Yuchuan picked up his chopsticks. "If this Prince's life were truly worth a fortune, would you really kill me?"

"Of course I would. So you'd better stay away from me."

Chu Yuchuan set his chopsticks down and instead inched even closer.

"What is it this time?"

Chu Yuchuan removed his mask. "From now on, when it's just the two of us, I won't wear this anymore, alright?"

"As you like."

Chu Yuchuan smiled, picked up his chopsticks, and placed a morsel of food into Yu Qingyan's bowl.

Yu Qingyan inwardly cursed him for a seducing evildoer, yet she quietly ate everything in her bowl.

"I went to your study earlier and borrowed a few books."

Chu Yuchuan smiled. "Mm, you may go whenever you please; there is no need to inform me."

"I injured Zuo Shen."

Chu Yuchuan smiled again. "It doesn't matter."

Yu Qingyan raised an eyebrow. "I killed Zuo Xuan."

Chu Yuchuan's movements instantly froze. "Really?"

"False."

"..."

"I thought you'd laughed yourself witless. Continue eating."

Chu Yuchuan choked back a breath. This woman—

"I was only teasing you. Eat up."

Chu Yuchuan shifted closer to her once more. "Qingyan."

"What is it now?"

"What color do you like?"

Yu Qingyan asked in puzzlement, "Why do you ask that?"

"Just tell me."

"Black, and red."

Chu Yuchuan frowned. Red was one thing, but black—was he supposed to dress her entirely in black if he gave her clothes?

"Then what do you like?"

"Roses." Yu Qingyan reached out to pick up a piece of braised fish with her chopsticks. This braised fish was quite well made, though she couldn't quite tell what kind of fish it was.

Chu Yuchuan frowned again. "Roses? What are those?"

"Are you going to eat your meal or not?" Yu Qingyan glared at him. "You can stay in your room by yourself this afternoon; I have no intention of accompanying you."

"Don't be angry. I'll eat."

"..."

After lunch, Yu Qingyan leaned sideways against the couch to read. The books she had selected were primarily geographical miscellanies. She discovered that apart from Southern Chu and Hanzhi, none of the other countries were particularly large. Hanzhi lay in the northwest while Southern Chu was in the southeast, with other minor states acting as dependencies, maintaining a precarious balance.

Should Hanzhi and Southern Chu ever go to war, it would undoubtedly reshuffle the entire geopolitical landscape.

In this world, warfare was by no means rare; the present was merely a brief and uncommon era of peace.

"If Hanzhi were to invade Southern Chu, what are Southern Chu's chances of victory?"

Chu Yuchuan was lying across her bed, holding a book of his own. "I am merely a superfluous, idle prince. My beloved wife is asking the wrong person."

Yu Qingyan raised an eyebrow. "True enough, I suppose I should go ask Chu Yuheng instead."

Chu Yuchuan glared at her. "Southern Chu lacks competent military commanders. Only Lin Gao can barely shoulder such a heavy responsibility. If war breaks out, His Majesty will choose either the Prince of Qi or the Prince of Lie to campaign alongside Lin Gao. As for the odds of winning—fifty-fifty."

"Why not choose you?"

"I possess no great prestige—" Chu Yuchuan paused. "Though it is not entirely impossible."

"What about the Prince of Jing?"

Chu Yuchuan looked at her. "You are certainly thinking of him. Rest assured, His Majesty would rather choose me than him."

"Why?"

"That man harbors profound ambitions. How could His Majesty ever feel at ease?"

Yu Qingyan smiled. "I can hardly tell whether you are praising him or disparaging him."

"My beloved wife may interpret it however you please."

As the two of them were talking, a knock sounded at the door.

"Your Highness, the Prince of Jing has arrived."

"..."

Speak of the devil, and he appears.

"I am feeling unwell. Tell him to go back."

Zuo Shen gave a light cough and spoke with hesitation, "The Prince of Jing said he wishes to see the Princess Consort..."