Chapter 140 Life and Death

Cao Shuwan blushed and said hesitantly, "Then... thank you, Princess."

"You're welcome." Ye Wanqing smiled at her.

Cao Shuwan walked aside and said softly, "Just now I saw the princess smile at me, and it was very similar to the smile of Prince Dun."

"Really?" Ye Wanqing's smile froze for a moment.

Cao Shuwan smiled and said, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Ye Wanqing's smile widened: "Maybe it's because I've been with him for a long time and I've been influenced by him."

As she spoke, she looked at Cao Shuwan: "Sister Cao is very similar to my second brother, both in character and in the tone of their speech."

Hearing this, Cao Shuwan blushed as if covered with a layer of clouds: "Princess, you are joking. In fact, the Second Young Master and I have not even met each other a few times..."

Ye Wanqing was about to speak when she heard Qianxi remind her in a low voice: "Princess, Mo Yan is here."

Mo Yan is Chu Anlan's close attendant.

Ye Wanqing looked up.

"Hey, is the thing in the guard's arms the little fire fox raised by the princess and Prince Dun?" Cao Shuwan asked curiously.

Ye Wanqing smiled: "Yes, it is called Little Pomegranate. Because it lives in Prince Dun's mansion, the prince calls it Chu Pomegranate."

"Chu Shiliu? This name is interesting." Cao Shuwan also laughed.

As soon as Little Pomegranate saw Ye Wanqing, it couldn't wait to jump out of Mo Yan's arms and ran towards Ye Wanqing happily.

He threw himself at Ye Wanqing's feet and cried softly.

Ye Wanqing bent down and picked it up: "When I saw you yesterday, you just ignored me. Why did you come to me today?"

The little pomegranate fluttered happily in her arms.

Mo Yan walked closer and said, "I greet you, Princess. Princess, the prince is going to a banquet today. Before he left, he asked me to bring you the pomegranate. In addition, the prince also asked me to pass on a message."

"What?" Ye Wanqing asked.

Mo Yan coughed and said, "The prince said that there will be a woman from Yipinju accompanying us at the banquet today, so he informed you in advance. The prince also told you not to think too much, he will keep himself clean and will never let other women touch his sleeves!"

"Anything else?" Ye Wanqing asked with a smile.

Mo Yan touched his head: "No more."

Ye Wanqing nodded: "I know, you go back first."

"I'll take my leave." Mo Yan bowed and left the Princess's Mansion.

After the people had gone far away, Cao Shuwan smiled and said, "Prince Dun, you are really an interesting person."

Ye Wanqing curved her eyebrows and said, "He has always been like this." She lowered her head and gently stroked the little pomegranate in her arms, her eyes extremely gentle.

Little Pomegranate squinted his eyes comfortably and made a soft whimpering sound in his throat.

Ye Wanqing looked at Cao Shuwan and said, "Let's go and visit the garden."

While the servants were busy before lunch, Ye Wanqing first took Cao Shuwan for a walk in Jinghong Garden, and then went to Ye Chenting's Wuyang Garden.

Looking at Ye Chenting's residence, Cao Shuwan was surprised: "There are really many trees planted in the second young master's yard. These trees are really well cared for, lush and tall."

"Has second brother mentioned this to Sister Cao?" Ye Wanqing asked.

Cao Shuwan nodded: "Yes. He also said that the pine trees in the courtyard are fed with a lot of fish intestines every year."

Ye Wanqing smiled and said, "Yes, this method was learned by my second brother when he was studying in Beijing. He sent a letter back and asked the gardener to try it countless times before he dared to use it on his pine tree..."

……

Before lunch, Ye Wanqing took Cao Shuwan to tour most of Wuyang Garden.

The sun was scorching in the afternoon, so Chu Yanrong invited the wife of the Earl of Yongchang to have tea again.

The aroma of tea wafts through the pavilion in the garden.

The arrival of a servant broke the tranquility of the afternoon.

The servant gasped, "Your Highness, Princess, the Princess... The Second Young Master sent someone to deliver a message... Prince Lu and Prince Dun went to the martial arts training ground of the Imperial Academy and said... they wanted to fight. Moreover, the two of them had to sign a life and death agreement!"

"What!" Ye Wanqing stood up in surprise.

Chu Yanrong slammed the table hard: "Nonsense!" The young masters of the aristocratic families have always loved to play and make trouble. If there is any conflict, some of them will even ask for a fight.

However, it was the first time that Chu Anlan and Lu Jilian signed a "life and death agreement" before a fight, as they did today.

It was Lu Jilian who proposed signing the life and death agreement.

Everyone else was wondering why Prince Lu suddenly wanted to have a fight with Prince Dun that would require a life-and-death agreement, but Ye Wanqing knew the reason.

Lu Jilian wanted to kill Chu Anlan.

He is an upright gentleman in the eyes of the world, so even if he wants to take someone's life, he will choose the most upright way.

He was certain he would win.

Making an appointment for a fight, signing a life and death agreement, and killing Chu Anlan would not only successfully get rid of the annoying opponent, but also give him... a chance to marry her.

This move really kills two birds with one stone.

Ye Wanqing was anxious: "Mother, I have to stop them!"

Chu Yanrong immediately ordered someone to harness the carriage and send Ye Wanqing out.

Imperial College.

When the carriage arrived, it was bustling outside the Imperial College.

Before the car came to a complete stop, many young men were seen walking in in groups of three or five, talking and laughing, discussing who would win today:
"I bet one thousand taels of silver that Prince Lu will win!"

"I bet three thousand taels!"

"Since you all bet on Prince Lu to win, then I will bet on Prince Dun to win! I am willing to pay five thousand taels of silver as the stakes!"

"..."

Millennium opened the carriage.

Ye Wanqing, wearing a veiled hat, jumped out of the car with the help of Qianxi, and without caring about the eyes of others, hurriedly walked into the gate of the Imperial College.

Behind me, there was a cry of surprise——

"Who was that noble lady just now?"

"Are you stupid? That's the princess!"

"This is going to be exciting!"

"..."

Martial arts training ground.

From a distance, Ye Wanqing saw that the area outside the venue was surrounded by young men.

The discussion was so heated that it looked like the two hadn't started fighting yet.

Qianxi glanced at the guard, who immediately stepped forward and said, "Excuse me."

Ye Wanqing walked through the crowd.

Under a locust tree next to the martial arts field, two groups of people stood with their backs to each other.

On the left, Chu Anlan, dressed in red, was surrounded by a group of teenagers, who were chattering about something, and Chu Anlan looked impatient.

He put one hand on his waist, and his high ponytail was blown by the wind and thrown behind his head.

Chu Shaozhen patted the ends of his hair to calm him down, glanced in Lu Jilian's direction, then leaned over and said a few words.

Chu Anlan glanced over and sneered.

On the right, Ye Chenting, Ye Chenxi and a group of young gentlemen were talking to Lu Jilian. Lu Jilian was wearing a silver-white brocade robe and had a peaceful expression.

Ye Wanqing walked over slowly.

Before she got close, she heard Ye Chenxi's voice: "Master Lu, everyone knows that you are knowledgeable and talented, and you are a master in martial arts. They also know that An Lan doesn't like to study or practice martial arts. You challenged him to a fight and signed a life-and-death agreement. Isn't that bullying?"

Lu Jilian looked at him and said, "How can a fair and just competition be considered bullying? At least, the prince and I have never felt that way."

"You..." Ye Chenxi was indignant: "You are a hypocrite! You say the most high-sounding words, but do the most insidious and cunning things!"

"Stop talking." Ye Chenting pulled Ye Chenxi over, patted his back soothingly, and said to Lu Jilian, "I'm sorry, Jilian, I was too concerned and confused, so I said something unpleasant. Please don't bother with him."