CHAPTER 661: CHAPTER 661: LOOK INTO MY EYES!

After three days and nights of arduous travel, Zhan Lan was finally brought into the palace.

Xiao Luobai, fearing that others might discover the existence of Zhan Lan, ordered two palace maids to draw all the curtains during the day and light candles.

When Xiao Luobai saw Zhan Lan, whom he hadn’t seen for over three years, his breathing quickened. He noticed Zhan Lan was wearing clothing of a Beiyue woman, and with a cold gaze, he looked at the two palace maids, "Who changed her clothes?"

The two palace maids immediately replied, "Your Majesty, we have been taking care of her along the journey, and we just changed her clothes."

One of the palace maids immediately placed the clothes Zhan Lan previously wore neatly aside, the clothes still stained with blood.

Beside the clothes were a dagger, a shimmering Five-colored Bracelet, a Jade Pendant, some silver notes, and pouches of unknown items.

They dared not touch them.

Xiao Luobai nodded in satisfaction; Mu Cheng’an had been trustworthy after all. If he dared to harm even a finger of Zhan Lan, Xiao Luobai would definitely kill him.

He sat by the bed, silently watching Zhan Lan.

Three years had passed, yet even without makeup, she was just as beautiful as in his dreams.

Compared to her usual confident and poised self, she now bore a look of peace and quietness, as if she had let down all her guards, making one want to embrace her.

Xiao Luobai’s eyes were filled with intense possessiveness. His fingers longed to gently touch her cheek, but just as he was about to, he couldn’t bring himself to defile her.

Originally, Zhan Lan wouldn’t awaken these two days; he could do whatever he wanted, but that was too disgraceful!

Xiao Luobai discarded his shameful thoughts, and when Zhan Lan awoke, he might have to face her brewing anger.

Still, he longed to have her. The room filled with portraits could no longer satisfy his fantasies. Only by watching Zhan Lan, by having her by his side, did he feel the whole world was his.

Even if Zhan Lan didn’t love him, even if she hated him, he still wanted to possess her.

With a cold expression, Xiao Luobai looked at the two palace maids, "Take good care of her!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

This was the Empress’s chamber he had prepared for Zhan Lan, and she finally lay on the phoenix bed.

A smile curved at the corner of Xiao Luobai’s lips. After he left, Zhan Lan suddenly opened her eyes.

...

In the Imperial Study Room.

Mu Cheng’an was led in by the head eunuch.

Xiao Luobai raised his eyes to look at him, "You did well with this matter."

Mu Cheng’an nodded slightly, "Your Majesty, I have brought her to you unharmed; you must remember your original promise."

Xiao Luobai gave a faint smile, "Naturally, from today onwards, you and I are allies. You want weapons, gunpowder, silver, and a place to train troops; I can give you all that, including Mu Yan. Should you wish to deal with him, I can assist."

Mu Cheng’an nodded in satisfaction, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xiao Luobai frowned and asked, "What kind of sleeping drug is this, and why does it take two days for her to wake up?"

Mu Cheng’an smiled and said, "Don’t worry, Your Majesty. This kind of drug only induces sleep without harming the body. However, waking up naturally indeed takes two days. If Your Majesty is eager to wake her, multiple antidotes are needed, but these combined antidotes are somewhat harmful to the body. Would Your Majesty like to try?"

Xiao Luobai immediately declined, "That won’t be necessary."

Only two days, he could wait!

"Your Majesty need not worry, Zhan Lan will follow you devotedly; I let her mistakenly believe before she passed out that it was Mu Yan who sent her here."

Xiao Luobai frowned but said nothing more.

He looked at Mu Cheng’an, "For the next two days, stay in the palace. When Zhan Lan wakes up, I will naturally give you what I have prepared!"

Mu Cheng’an nodded, "No rush, there’s plenty of time."

...

Xiao Luobai returned to the Empress’s chamber again.

He opened the door and, from afar, saw Zhan Lan still sound asleep under the covers. He murmured, "Lan’er, they all force me to marry women I don’t love, yet I only wish to grow old with you."

He quietly walked to the bedside, ready to watch over her as she slept.

But the next moment, a dagger was suddenly pressed against his neck, the icy touch making him tense instantly.

He turned back to find Zhan Lan’s cold eyes looking at him in disappointment.

"Lan’er!" Xiao Luobai exclaimed in shock.

Looking again, he saw the bed occupied by his two palace maids, seemingly knocked unconscious by Zhan Lan, lying motionless.

Zhan Lan dressed in red, her voice extremely cold, "Xiao Luobai, I didn’t expect you to be so shameless!"

Xiao Luobai’s eyes turned red as he looked at Zhan Lan, "I love you. Every day in Beiyue, I was mad with thoughts of you. I did nothing, I simply want to be with you!"

Zhan Lan used the dagger to lift his chin, her voice carrying a heavy pressure, "Look into my eyes!"

Xiao Luobai was forced to meet Zhan Lan’s cold and distant gaze.

"Xiao Luobai, you don’t even dare to look me in the eye, yet you want to be my man!"

"I didn’t..." Xiao Luobai guiltily met Zhan Lan’s eyes.

Zhan Lan sneered, "Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself, because I won’t be moved by your so-called love, I’ll only feel disgusted!"

"In your eyes, I’m merely an item for trade."

Zhan Lan pressed on, "How much did you pay to buy me from someone else? Speak!"

Every word from Zhan Lan pierced deeply into Xiao Luobai’s heart.

By now, Xiao Luobai saw no need to hide the truth from Zhan Lan any longer. He said solemnly, "It’s Mu Cheng’an!"

Zhan Lan’s pupils shrank; it was him!

The brother of the Emperor of Zhongzhou, and also Mu Yan’s mother’s own Imperial Uncle. However, it was said that he had been exiled to a bitter cold land for committing a grave offense in the palace back then.

He was still alive!

The old forces of Zhongzhou still existed, and he had been secretly operating to gradually strengthen Mu Yan, embedding Yun He as a spy, to kill Mu Yan and seize the throne!

Xiao Luobai’s eyes were red as he gritted his teeth at Zhan Lan, "What’s so good about Mu Yan?"

Zhan Lan’s gaze fell on the Five-colored Bracelet now back on her wrist, a gift from Mu Yan on her birthday.

That day, the lake was cold, but her heart was warm.

She had previously asked Mu Yan why the bracelet was so colorful, and he had smiled quietly without answering.

Later, Mu Yan told her all the stones were rare minerals that could neutralize poisons. During her two or three years in the army, Mu Yan had scoured endless seas, desert wastelands, deep forests, and rocky caves to find these toxicity-reducing minerals, painstakingly crafted into this bracelet.

Mu Yan had cared so much for her safety against being poisoned, and to think this time it was actually needed.

She had actually awakened upon entering Beiyue but wanted to see who was really after her!

After so long, the mastermind had finally surfaced.

At the moment of her unconsciousness, she had doubted the person she saw was Mu Yan, shocked and bewildered, but how could a man who considered everything for her possibly harm her!

So sometimes, what the eyes see is not necessarily true; one must use the heart to truly see!