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Yan Xiaowang After twenty-five years, Crown Prince Dan returned to the Yan Kingdom, and the entire nation celebrated. His three sons, Uncle Qi, were overjoyed and waited for him at the borders of Yan. When the brothers finally met, they embraced and congratulated each other.
Qi had tears streaming down his face as he vowed, "I will never leave my brother's side in life."
Dan was pleased and held his hand, promising, "I will take care of you for a lifetime."
The ministers sighed, praising the deep bond between the brothers.
《Yan Family——Crown Prince Yan Dan Chapter Six》
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He stood by the window, enjoying the tranquility of the night. The moonlight seeped through the paper window, elongating his already tall figure.
He had sent out more than a dozen people but had not received any news yet; he did not know if they had succeeded.
He wanted to see her but was also afraid to see her. Even if he did see her, he wouldn’t know what to say.
But… did he need words? He felt a bit self-deprecating; would he really be afraid that a dead person would stand up and question him?
Sometimes he truly wished she could rise again and ask him why he had plotted against her Nation, taking the position that originally belonged to her.
But she should come back! Come back to settle accounts with him! If she could return, he would willingly give up the throne for her, gladly stand behind her, even if it meant being invisible, as long as he could watch over her and never be apart from her.
However, now everything was just a wishful thought. She was dead, and all he had gained was the throne of Yan Kingdom—something that meant little to him.
The crown on his head brought him only one benefit: no one dared to bully him anymore, and he no longer had to lower his head and watch others' expressions.
He was the third son of Yan Xiaowang, with two older brothers ahead of him, one being her and the other being Second Brother. Unfortunately, Second Brother drowned in a well at the age of six. His mother was the most lowly laundry maid in the palace, looked down upon from the moment he was born. Even after having him as her son, she continued her work as a laundry maid, without even receiving a title. It wasn't until he turned eighteen that he was granted the title of Young Master and began to enjoy the treatment befitting a prince.
Everyone in Yan Palace knew that the Queen was jealous and ruthless; over the years, countless ladies and princes had fallen victim to her. The few children who managed to be born safely were hardly any. He had witnessed Second Brother being pushed into a well by a palace servant, struggling without success before being submerged in the icy water, leaving only one shoe above the surface.
At that time, he was only five years old, and he was terrified—extremely terrified. He told his mother about it, but not long after, she hanged herself just to protect him... Unfortunately, at that time, he did not understand his mother's true intentions and thought she had abandoned him out of shame.
From then on, he stopped speaking; everyone believed he had become mute from shock. Only he knew that it wasn't that he couldn't speak; he simply didn't want to engage with those he despised.
In Yan Palace, the only person he wanted to talk to was her—the Crown Princess of Yan Kingdom, the future heir to Yan Wang, and the most favored one in Yan Palace. He had felt jealousy towards her—deep jealousy—hating her lofty status and resenting his own insignificance.
However, when he first saw her, his heart was captivated. He had never seen anyone like her before; she always wore a joyful smile that made one feel that even just a glance could lift one's spirits.
On the night of his mother's death, he cried bitterly. At that moment, she appeared, holding a blanket and yawning, mumbling through her words, "Tonight I will sleep with you, but you can't kick the blanket or burp or fart. And... have you washed your feet?"
She grabbed his dirty little feet and insisted on washing them clean in a basin before letting him go.
He struggled, not knowing who this suddenly appearing person was.
She told him she was his elder brother, which made him recall that there was indeed a high-ranking Crown Prince in the palace whom he had never seen before.
Actually, it wasn't entirely true that he had never seen her; occasionally when her entourage passed by, he would catch a distant glimpse of her and vaguely remember how dazzling her brocade robe was.
Could it be that this adorable yet slightly disheveled person before him was truly that exalted elder brother?
He didn't know how to accept her, only maintaining a cold expression and remaining silent. That was rejection, an obvious rejection.
But he seemed to have poor eyesight and couldn't discern her intentions at all. She wiped his feet clean, then smiled and picked him up, tossing both him and the blanket onto the bed.
He lay there stiffly, not daring to move. She laughed as she pressed down on him, holding him in her arms, telling him that she would always sleep with him from now on.
Since birth, he had never slept with anyone. His mother, of low status, was not allowed to get close to him; only a Nursemaid accompanied him as he grew up, but even she only tucked him in once he had fallen asleep. He truly longed for companionship, for warmth, but this brother's arrival was too sudden for him to handle at once.
However, soon enough, he could no longer be without her... She slept with him every night, played with him, ate with him, and even suggested to the King that they study together.
Because of her, the King would glance at him more often, and the sycophants in the palace no longer dared to treat him poorly. He gradually developed a bit of self-esteem as a young nobleman.
He loved reading; flipping through Bamboo Slips and inhaling the fresh scent of bamboo made him feel invigorated. But no matter how much he enjoyed it, it could not compare to his feelings for her. He didn't know when it started, but every smile and frown of hers was etched into his heart. He loved the scent that lingered on her—subtle and fragrant—different from the smell of men and unlike the milky scent he carried; it was always so refreshing and pleasant.
He liked holding her; whether sleeping or awake, he wanted to nestle beside her. Even a moment without seeing her felt uncomfortable, like his heart was being scratched by a cat. Sometimes he even wondered if he liked reading because he liked her. After all, she loved books—she loved them very much.
After five years together, he thought this beautiful life would continue forever. But suddenly, a thunderbolt shattered his dreams. The State of Chu needed a hostage, and the only candidate was him.
He was unwilling—unwilling to go to Chu, unwilling to leave her. He feared loneliness and social interactions; he didn't even know how to face the long dark nights without her. How could his now fiery heart continue to beat?
He expressed his thoughts to her; she held him tightly and simply said, "Don't worry; as long as your brother is here, I will never let you go to Chu as a hostage."
Though she sometimes deceived and coaxed him in trivial matters, she always kept her promises when it came to significant issues. In the end, he did not go to Chu; instead, she went in his place. The departure was so hurried that she didn't even have time to say goodbye.
He felt regretful and frustrated... He should have gone to Chu; it should have been him going there. Yet such suffering fell upon her instead.
She left, and he was not doing well either. First, he couldn't adapt; without her in bed, it was cold, so cold that he couldn't sleep through the night. Meals without her were tasteless, even if they were delicacies. The books on Bamboo Slip no longer captivated him without her in the classroom.
Since then, many things in Yan Palace changed. Because of him, the Crown Prince went to Chu, Yan Wang no longer smiled at him, and the people in the palace no longer respected him. He became taciturn and lost in thought, sometimes not speaking a word, only hoping deep down for her return.
The people in the palace thought he had lost his mind, that Old Witch had taken his soul. He didn't care; he felt like he had lost his soul long ago when she went to Chu.
It took him quite some time to adjust. She didn't forget him after arriving in Chu; she sent him a letter urging him to study hard so he could help her govern Yan in the future. He was obedient and began studying day and night, reading numerous books and learning Statecraft from his teacher, waiting for her return to help him fulfill his Wish.
He originally thought that once she returned, they would be together forever. When he ascended to the throne, he would assist her in governing the country and dedicate himself to her.
However... things did not go as planned. Shortly after she returned to Yan Palace, tensions among the Seven Kingdoms began to rise again. In just two years, countless battles broke out. As the Crown Prince, she bore a heavy responsibility and often had to go to war, leaving little time in the palace.
That time it was his fault; he was angry that she wasn't with him. He threw things at her and shouted at her in armor, "Go on, leave! If you go, don't ever come back..."
At that moment, he didn't know it would be the last time he saw her; otherwise, he wouldn't have shouted like that.
She really was obedient; she would do anything for him. That time she truly didn't come back; she died on the battlefield, and in the end, they couldn't even find her body...
Recalling these past events, tears slipped down his cheeks involuntarily. He wiped them away with his fingers, feeling strangely damp.
How long had it been since he last cried? He self-deprecatingly smirked.
Since that day when she left and he cried all night, he hadn't shed a single tear. Because he had to be strong; he had to protect the Nation for her. He always thought that perhaps one day she would return and warmly embrace him, calling out to him, "Aqi."
He flicked his finger lightly and shook off a tear that fell like a crystal drop onto the window paper, instantly wetting a patch of it.
Looking out the window, it was already late at night, with half a moon hanging at the tip of a Sophora tree, casting a faint light on the ground.
He felt something and called softly from outside, "Come in."
"Yes." Someone entered and knelt on the ground.
"Have you returned?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have returned."
Finally back... He straightened his spirit and walked outside. This time he would never let her go again.
The person he deeply loved, his brother, and also the woman he cherished the most.
Watching the eager figure rush out, the guard Wujian couldn't help but stroke his chin, wondering what excitement the king found in seeing a pile of rotten clothes. Perhaps he could suggest to the king to burn them to ashes for easier storage.
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