Rеcentlу, thе Сrоwn Рrince had nоt mеntioned it bеing the Emреrоr's dесrеe, nor hаd any imperial ediсt bеen sеen, sо thеsе itеms naturаllу did nоt соme frоm the Empеrоr. Hоwever, the Сrown Prinсe was still уоung, аnd Наn Yаn hаd heard thаt thе Emреrоr was еxtrеmеly strict with him, fоrbidding еxtrаvagancе. Perhaрs this littlе Сrown Рrince lived еvеn lеss cоmfоrtаblу thаn shе did. This sum оf mоneу was sоmething she аbsolutеlу сould nоt ассept.
Bеfore she could sрeak, the sеcond сhest wаs оpеned, revealing a stunningly beautiful red coral from the South Sea. Han Yan's gaze froze for a moment. In both her lifetimes, she had never seen such a fine treasure—vibrant in color and majestic in presence. This was a rare item reserved for imperial consorts and the Empress, likely a tribute offering.
When the third chest was opened, Han Yan was taken aback. Inside were various bottles and jars, which seemed rather peculiar. Seeing Han Yan's puzzled expression, the Crown Prince said proudly, "These are rare medicinal herbs from the palace, antidotes of all kinds, and pills for treating injuries and illnesses. I had people search for a long time to gather this chest of items."
Han Yan withdrew her gaze and looked at him. "What does Your Highness mean by this?"
"This is my reward for you," the Crown Prince replied, still quite pleased.
Han Yan smiled. "I beg Your Highness's pardon, but I cannot accept this."
The Crown Prince stared at her as if he hadn't understood. "What did you say?" His expression quickly turned unpleasant. "Zhuang Hanyan, don't be ungrateful!"
How unlovable, no wonder the Emperor didn't like him. Han Yan continued to smile gently. "Your Highness's kindness, Han Yan understands. However, saving Your Highness yesterday was something anyone would have done. Han Yan never intended to use this incident to seek any gain. Now that Your Highness is safe and sound, nothing could be better. These items, Han Yan cannot accept. If I were to take them, it would give others cause for gossip." At this moment, she was already in the eye of the storm, with all kinds of accusations directed at her. If rumors spread about her having a close relationship with the Crown Prince, she might as well forget about living. Regardless of the gossip outside, even the Emperor would take notice of her. Staying hidden in the shadows would make it easier to accomplish her goals.
The Crown Prince looked at her, seeming to understand something, yet he was extremely unwilling. It seemed he had never encountered anyone who refused his rewards. This Zhuang Hanyan had saved his life yesterday, and he still remembered the look she gave him before leaving the cave. From that moment on, he no longer disliked this woman. He had always believed his mother, the Empress, was the strongest person. Over the years, despite enduring countless grievances in the harem, she always wore a smile and acted with grace and magnanimity as a virtuous Empress. Then he met Zhuang Hanyan and encountered the second such person.
He gritted his teeth. "If you don't accept these, I won't be able to explain it to my mother."
Han Yan was taken aback, then quickly understood. Although the Emperor did not favor this little Crown Prince, the Empress genuinely cared for her child. By saving the Crown Prince yesterday, she had done the Empress a favor. As a mother, the Empress was naturally grateful to her. Earlier, she had wondered how the Crown Prince could manage to provide such rewards, but now that she knew it was the Empress's intention, it was no longer surprising.
Han Yan smiled. "Your Highness need not worry. Saving Your Highness was merely a small effort. If you truly wish to reward Han Yan, perhaps in the future, if Han Yan has a request, the Empress could speak a few kind words on my behalf before the Emperor."The Crown Prince did not expect Han Yan to make such a request and immediately grew somewhat wary. In the palace, the greatest taboo was being used by others. If someone sought wealth, it was still manageable; what was truly feared was when they demanded more. Han Yan's words seemed to carry hidden meanings. Although the Crown Prince did not fully understand, he could still sense a hint of it. However, when he looked up and saw Han Yan's smiling face, he had no idea what she was truly thinking. In the end, he could only purse his lips and ask somewhat awkwardly, "How are your injuries?"
In truth, Han Yan was not as complicated as the Crown Prince imagined. Ever since her rebirth, she had seemingly been involuntarily drawn into palace affairs. In her previous life, she thought her death was an accident and placed all her hatred on Madam Zhou and her daughter. But now, step by step, it seemed there was much more to the story. To wade into these murky waters, she needed a foolproof plan. Although Han Yan believed Fu Yunxi could protect her, it would be even better if she could share his burdens. If she could secure the Empress's promise, it would also give her an extra safeguard. Hearing the Crown Prince's question, she smiled and replied, "I am fine. Your Highness need not worry."
"Who said I was worried about you?" The Crown Prince immediately turned his head away, then spoke somewhat unnaturally, "This prince merely saw that you had rendered meritorious service in saving the imperial carriage..."
As for this Little Crown Prince, Han Yan actually quite liked him. At most, he was just a spoiled child. Moreover, the Emperor was strict in disciplining his children. In yesterday's situation, he had managed to maintain composure, suggesting he had experienced such incidents frequently. Thinking this, she felt a pang of pity for the Little Crown Prince. His circumstances were quite similar to Zhuang Hanming's—both lacked their fathers' affection. The palace's covert and overt struggles were even more perilous than those in the Zhuang residence. The Seventh Prince was no easy opponent, capable of acting ruthlessly even toward such a young brother.
The Crown Prince looked up and met Han Yan's somewhat pitying gaze. His heart trembled. In his world, aside from his mother, no one had ever looked at him with such concern. Although his royal uncle treated him well, his demeanor was always cold. Why was this woman he disliked looking at him with such gentle and affectionate eyes? For a moment, he suddenly felt like crying. However, the Crown Prince had been taught since childhood not to show weakness. He gritted his teeth and lowered his head to conceal his emotions.
Han Yan had no idea that a single glance from her could evoke so much emotion in the Crown Prince. Seeing him lower his head, she asked curiously, "Is Your Highness feeling unwell?"
The Crown Prince suddenly raised his head, looking at Han Yan with a conflicted expression, and abruptly declared, "You saved this prince's life. This prince promises you that if one day my royal uncle no longer wants you, I will marry you as my Crown Princess."
No one expected the arrogant Little Crown Prince to suddenly say such a thing. Not only Han Yan but even Ji Lan and Shu Hong were stunned. Han Yan stared at him dumbfounded. Did this Little Crown Prince even understand what marriage meant? Yet he had spoken so boldly. Han Yan did not believe she possessed such great charm; she was simply rendered speechless by the sudden declaration from the current Crown Prince.
Seeing Han Yan merely staring at him without speaking, the Little Crown Prince grew anxious. "In three years, this prince will be able to take a consort... Ahem, a life-saving favor...""Repaying a life-saving grace by offering oneself in marriage isn't quite the proper way to express gratitude," Han Yan thought, both amused and exasperated. Just as she was at a loss for how to respond to the Little Crown Prince's remark, a cold voice suddenly came from the doorway: "This prince's consort can only belong to this prince in this lifetime. If Your Highness wishes to marry a consort, this prince will personally report to The Emperor and have His Majesty carefully select one for you."
Han Yan looked up to see Fu Yunxi, still in his court robes, having rushed back immediately after the morning court session. His expression was icy, and there was a hint of displeasure in his gaze toward the Little Crown Prince. The Crown Prince stiffened—this royal uncle was cold-faced and cold-hearted. Although he treated him well, once provoked, the consequences could be terrifying. It seemed this woman was under his protection to such an extent that he wouldn't even tolerate a mere jest. The Little Crown Prince quickly retreated two steps: "This... this prince has matters to attend to and must take his leave." With that, he fled the room as if escaping a disaster. Staying here any longer? He had no desire to be frozen to death by his royal uncle's glare.
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