SYADEPCO – CH004
by Your_heartbeatChapter 4 – Walking on Thin Ice
“What are you still standing there for? Aren’t you going to help this prince down?”
Just as Chu Baihan was frozen in place, Yan Lin’s cold voice sounded from the side.
Help him?
Chu Baihan glanced sideways at him, her brows furrowing deeply.
But in the end, she carefully reached out her hand. “Your Highness, this concubine will help you down now.”
She got into character quickly—even addressing herself as “this concubine.” Yan Lin’s expression darkened slightly, but he didn’t bother correcting her.
His palm was broad and slightly cool, and the thin calluses on it scraped uncomfortably against her fingertips, but she didn’t dare complain.
And just like that, she helped him down from the carriage.
“This must be the Eighth Brother’s wife? The two of you are quite the loving couple, aren’t you?” That mocking, sarcastic voice rang out again.
Chu Baihan looked up and saw a man in ornate robes fanning himself not far away.
He bore some resemblance to Yan Lin, but lacked even half of his grace. His eyes, in particular, were murky and filled with scheming intent, making people uncomfortable to look at.
“Fifth Prince,” Yan Lin ignored him, but his shadow guard behind him unwillingly bowed in greeting.
Fifth Prince?
Then this must be the Fifth Prince, Yan Jin. Rumor had it that he was addicted to women and frequented brothels. But due to his close relationship with the Crown Prince and the favor of his mother, Consort Han—one of the four royal consorts—he held authority over the Ministry of Personnel.
While Chu Baihan was thinking about this, she looked up and noticed Yan Jin eyeing her up and down with blatant desire.
That gaze made her nauseous, and her expression turned cold.
“Prince Lin, finally you’re here. His Majesty is currently waiting for you and the Princess Consort at Fuyang Palace,” the eunuch Zhang Hai from beside the Emperor came running over, wiping his sweat as he whispered urgently.
“Aiyo, since the Eighth Brother’s eye injury, he hasn’t attended court and has rarely been summoned. He must’ve forgotten the way to Fuyang Palace by now. Want your royal brother to guide you?”
Yan Jin once again spoke with disdain—he truly didn’t miss a chance to humiliate Yan Lin.
“Fifth Prince, you—” The shadow guard Ziying was about to retort in defense of his master.
But before he could, Chu Baihan stepped forward and calmly said to Yan Jin, “There’s no need to trouble Fifth Brother. The eunuch can lead the way. This concubine will support my husband.”
As she finished speaking, her slender fingers once again clasped Yan Lin’s large hand.
Feeling the softness in his palm, Yan Lin’s thick lashes trembled slightly, but his dark eyes remained vacant, betraying nothing of his thoughts.
A while later, he finally said coldly, “Let’s go.”
Chu Baihan secretly let out a breath of relief.
Thankfully, he gave her some face in front of others; she had truly feared that he’d shake off her hand without hesitation.
As they turned to enter Fuyang Palace, Chu Baihan could still feel Yan Jin’s mocking gaze behind them.
She couldn’t help but glance at the man beside her out of the corner of her eye.
He was tall. She had to tilt her head to see his side profile.
The sunlight shone down on his flawless features, as though gilding them with light.
Those eyes of his, if uninjured, would surely be dazzling.
After he lost his sight, the Crown Prince’s faction and the other princes began attacking him in unison.
Though the Emperor hadn’t completely stripped him of military power, he had ordered him to recuperate at home, removing him from both military and court affairs.
From the favored son of heaven to the cripple that everyone looked down upon—his heart must ache terribly.
Chu Baihan felt a trace of pity rise within her, but quickly suppressed it.
What pity? She could barely protect herself now. It was foolish to pity a man who had once wanted her dead.
Steeling herself, she crossed the threshold of Fuyang Palace alongside Yan Lin.
Whether she could pass this trial before the Emperor… she truly didn’t know.
“Your Majesty, Prince Lin and his consort have arrived,” a eunuch quietly announced in the hall.
“Your son greets Father Emperor,” Yan Lin said, not even lifting his head. His thin lips moved slightly, his tone cold and distant.
“Your eyes are inconvenient, no need for formalities,” the Emperor set down the memorial he was reading and spoke plainly.
Yan Lin was exempt, but she wasn’t…
Chu Baihan quickly bowed her head and knelt.
“Your daughter-in-law greets Father Emperor.” Her voice trembled slightly with uncertainty.
“You are Lord Chu’s daughter? Stand and raise your head,” the Emperor said from his throne.
Though his voice was calm, his imperial presence made it hard to ignore.
Chu Baihan took a deep breath, stood slowly, and lifted her head.
The Emperor, seated on the dragon throne, looked to be nearing fifty, with graying temples, likely from long years of state affairs.
His eyes bore down on her with pressure, studying her closely.
She couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
After a long moment, he chuckled softly.
“You little girl dare meet my gaze? You have the bearing of your mother, Lady Xu, in her youth,” he said, sounding slightly sentimental, as though recalling old memories.
Lady Xu? That was her mother’s surname.
The Emperor…
“Your Majesty, this subject’s daughter is guilty.” Chu Baihan realized he already knew about the marriage swap, and hurriedly confessed.
“Just now you called yourself ‘daughter-in-law of the Emperor,’ and now you’re back to calling yourself a commoner’s daughter? Do you find being part of the royal family beneath you?” The Emperor’s face turned cold, his tone laced with anger.
“No… that’s not what this daughter-in-law meant,” Chu Baihan quickly shook her head.
“Good. Since you’ve married into the royal family, you are now the Eighth Prince’s consort. Mind how you refer to yourself. As for Lord Chu, he must be getting old—how could he arrange such a matter as he pleased…”
The last part seemed to be spoken more to himself.
The hall was silent, only the Emperor’s voice echoing within it.
Chu Baihan studied his neutral expression and unreadable tone. It was impossible to guess his true thoughts.
“Since you’ve entered the royal family, you’d best rein in your heart. Wouldn’t you agree, Eighth Prince’s consort?” he said, eyeing Chu Baihan meaningfully.
What was he trying to warn her about?
Cold sweat drenched her back. She now fully understood how unfathomable a ruler’s heart could be.
Just as the tension was about to continue, Yan Lin finally spoke again, “Father, Grandmother is missing me. If you have no further orders, your son will take the princess consort to greet her.”
His tone was indifferent, showing no respect.
Strangely, the Emperor wasn’t angered.
He nodded and said deeply, “Indeed. Your grandmother misses you often. It’s rare for you to visit the palace—go.”
These two, father and son, interacted in such a bizarre way, Chu Baihan couldn’t help but frown in thought.
Soon, she heard Yan Lin’s annoyed voice beside her: “Still not moving?”
“This concubine is coming,” she snapped out of it and quickly reached out to help support his arm, carefully escorting him out.
She could feel it; there was a fire burning inside him.
Why was he angry? Did he hate the Emperor?
“If you don’t want to die miserably, best keep that curiosity to yourself.” Outside, Yan Lin sneered coldly.
Chu Baihan froze, and after a long pause, awkwardly said, “This concubine understands.”
Enough. Once she rescued Nan Xing, they were getting out of this place.
She didn’t need to know the palace’s secrets—the more she knew, the quicker she’d die.
“When we get to Grandmother’s, if you say anything wrong, I’ll kill you,” Yan Lin warned again, his tone merciless.
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Translated with love by _ ꕤ🌼Yourheartbeat🌼ꕤ
꧁𓆸 𝒯𝓇𝒶𝓃𝓈𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑜𝓇 𓆹꧂
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