CHAPTER 356: CHAPTER 340: DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A BLIND FOOL?

"Although the princess and Princess Qin had a dispute, it was the princess who held the upper hand, and she nearly injured Princess Qin."

"I am willing to guarantee with my life that the runaway horse incident has nothing to do with Princess Qin."

Yu Qingyan looked up at Shen Mubai with shock all over her face, her eyes filled with worry, and she quietly called, "Mr. Shen?"

Prince Rui praised from the side, "Young General Shen is so courageous! Truly a good man from the battlefield! Daring to put life and death aside!"

Nangong Jue looked at Shen Mubai, seemingly gentle and warm, but there was an indistinct depth in his gaze that was incomprehensible.

"Shen Qing, are you so certain that the runaway horse incident has nothing to do with Princess Qin?"

Shen Mubai fearlessly met the Crown Prince’s gaze, neither humble nor arrogant, "I am sure that this incident has nothing to do with Princess Qin, the runaway horse was merely an accident."

Immediately someone retorted, "How can an accident happen for no reason? The horse was fine, why would it go mad if no one provoked it?"

Shen Mubai cast a glance at that person and said in a deep voice:

"Qishan is full of fierce beasts, and everyone witnessed Tiger King today. The princess’s steed is a spiritual horse from the Western Regions, far more sensitive to danger than ordinary horses."

"Perhaps Tiger King was nearby then, and it sensed danger, causing it to run in panic, which is not impossible."

Although unwilling to admit it, this explanation indeed had some merit.

The most crucial point is, without concrete evidence, you cannot prove that she acted!

No one witnessed her act, so all presumptions are mere conjectures and cannot lead to a conviction.

Finally, the Crown Prince had everyone dismissed, and he took several attendants to Nangong Mo’s tent.

"Ninth Prince, you allowed your men to heavily wound the imperial guard today, causing panic and complaints among the lower ranks, you ought to give an explanation."

Nangong Mo raised his brows slightly, looking at the Crown Prince with a pair of vacant, unfocused yet extraordinarily beautiful eyes, expressionless.

"An explanation?"

Nangong Jue frowned at his ’strange gaze’ and said gently, "Ninth Prince, have you thought of how to handle this matter?"

Nangong Mo faintly pulled at the corners of his mouth, "Why not call them back and have another fight, how about it?"

Nangong Jue: "..."

Beside them, Yun Ran silently looked up at the sky, the bright moon hung in the sky, and the starry river sparkled like smoke and mist floating in the ink-dyed night sky, free and unrestrained.

[Hmmm, the night is beautiful! Perfect for going out to rob and make a small fortune!]

Nangong Jue tugged at the slightly stiff corners of his mouth and chuckled softly, "Ninth Prince, you jest! The hunting ground is for riding and archery competitions, how can we gather for a fight?"

"Such behavior today was already reckless, and we are sure to receive a scolding from Father when we return to the capital, how can we offend again?"

Nangong Mo seemed unconcerned, glancing at him sidelong, sneering, "Weren’t you the one insisting on an explanation?"

Nangong Jue: "..."

I wanted an explanation, but is this the kind of explanation I wanted?

With a gentle sigh, the Crown Prince spoke calmly, "Right now, the soldiers are all talking about you being arrogant and unruly, ignoring the law. Don’t you want to put an end to these rumors?"

Nangong Mo snorted disdainfully, his voice languid, "Still daring to spread rumors? It seems they haven’t been beaten enough."

Nangong Jue: "..."

So he meant to have another fight? Beat them until they’re in pain, until they submit?

He pursed his lips, looking at him with some frustration, "I know you might not care about your reputation. But don’t you think about Wanyue?"

Nangong Mo squinted his eyes almost imperceptibly, casting a subtle glance at Yun Ran.

Wanyue? How affectionate!

Yun Ran felt a chill of a gaze fall on her and couldn’t help but glare back.

[What nonsense is this man doing again? What did I do to piss you off this time? A grown man, so many petty emotions?]

Nangong Jue watched the silent exchange of glances and emotions between the two, his eyes flickered slightly, but his face remained composed.

"Ninth Prince, do you know how people will talk about Wanyue? They will say she bewitched the prince, a femme fatale, and a witch causing chaos."

Yun Ran: "..."

[You’re the femme fatale! Your whole family is femme fatales! You’re not only a witch, you’re also a demon, beastly and monstrous!]

Nangong Mo’s eyes squinted slightly, casting a side glance at Nangong Jue, his lips curling coldly, "Whoever dares to say it, I’ll kill them."

Nangong Jue frowned slightly, his tone rather stern, "Ninth Prince, if you truly do this, it will only confirm her as a femme fatale, a witch causing chaos."

Yun Ran silently rolled her eyes in her heart:

[What kind of nonsense is this?!]

[A girl like me, with a chivalrous heart, bright and kind, always willing to help, how could I be a femme fatale?]

[Even if I am, who dares speak of it? I’ll silence them all and send them to dig wells and mines, or build the Great Wall!]

[Besides, what femme fatale? It’s all an added sin by men! How come they don’t blame their own indulgence and incapability?]

"Crown Prince, it’s late, you should return to rest! Overexertion leads to aging, ugliness, dullness, and sluggishness; as the Crown Prince, you should take care of your health."

Yun Ran finished speaking in one breath, smiling gently and looking at the Crown Prince with warmth and care.

The Crown Prince’s mouth twitched slightly, but he pulled out a gentle smile, his tone light, "Wanyue is right, it’s late, I won’t disturb you further, take an early rest."

"Farewell, Crown Prince."

Yun Ran bowed to him and very kindly saw him to the door, watching him leave.

"Yun Xiaoran, do you think I’m nonexistent? Or do you think I’m blind?"

Suddenly, a cool and seductive low voice drifted in from behind like a ghostly presence, chilling the heart.

Yun Ran turned back and met those abyss-like eyes, couldn’t help but twitch her mouth, "Can’t you keep up your blind act? Who are you trying to scare with that look?"

Nangong Mo is very good at catching the main point.

"Blind?"

"You wish I were blind, don’t you?"

"So that you can openly ogle other men without worrying about being caught by me, isn’t that right?"

Yun Ran: "..."

[It’s your grandpa! Delusional, nonsensical, and slanderous dog man!]

"When have I ogled other men? I was just properly sending him off."

She wasn’t blind, after all, it’s unavoidable to cast a glance, right?

Nangong Mo snorted coldly, "Stop trying to argue! I’m not blind!"

Yun Ran: "..."

[You’re not blind, but your unreasonable behavior is more terrifying than blindness!]

"You stared at him without blinking, wishing you could pluck your eyes out and stick them to him."