She Holds the World After Being Reborn-Chapter 85: Tell your father the emperor that I will not be returning to the palace tonight.

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Tell your father the emperor that I will not be returning to the palace tonight.

Seeing that neither of the princes spoke, Zhang Lanyi curled her red lips and didn’t seem to mind; instead, she advised, "Dawei has always valued peace, and neither of you is a child anymore. Today is a joyous day for Princess Anping’s housewarming; let’s not lose our composure." As she spoke, she also took Yan Wanqing’s hand and said, "I hope the Commandery Princess won’t take their attitudes to heart."

This attitude of posturing as an elder caused Xiao Hongshen’s face to immediately turn cold as he left with a flick of his sleeve.

Even the always amicable and courteous Crown Prince couldn’t help but narrow his dark eyes threateningly as he glanced warningly at Zhang Lanyi.

Zhang Lanyi defiantly glared back without yielding an inch.

She had always been the type to push her luck, and seeing these two thorns in the flesh at a disadvantage now filled her heart with glee.

"Look, our Seventh Prince is still a child at heart," Zhang Lanyi commented aloud in front of everyone.

No one dared to join in, and the certain someone who would dare had no interest in paying her any mind.

However, Zhang Lanyi was always one to amuse herself; she didn’t feel slighted by the princes’ impoliteness to her as the Empress. After all, she wasn’t there for them today.

Yan Wanqing was today’s leading figure.

"I heard at the entrance that Young Marquis mentioned you have just received some new tea?" Zhang Lanyi asked Yan Wanqing.

Yan Wanqing bowed her head submissively, no longer the arrogant and conceited girl from that night on Southern Mountain, now as gentle and demure as the other daughters of nobility present: "Your Highness, please take your seat; I will instruct the maids to brew the tea."

"Then I am in for a treat," Zhang Lanyi said, walking a couple of steps towards the host’s seat, but then suddenly, as if she remembered something, turned back to look at Xiao Pingfeng who had been silent and was fiddling with his fan, "Would the Crown Prince care to join us for a taste?"

Xiao Pingfeng’s gaze lightly drifted over to Yan Wanqing before he shook his head, "No need, I have business to attend to. I came today purely to congratulate the Commandery Princess on her new abode."

Yan Wanqing responded with a courteous bow: "Thank you, Crown Prince."

"You’re leaving, Crown Prince?" Zhang Lanyi inquired.

Xiao Pingfeng nodded, "State affairs are pressing, and there is unrest North of the Pass; I still have matters to handle."

"Then I won’t keep you," Zhang Lanyi sighed softly, "Please convey a message to your father the Emperor, saying that I felt a close connection with Princess Anping and that I won’t be returning."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Pingfeng slightly furrowed his brows, his eyes shifting back and forth between the two women before he ultimately consented.

As the Crown Prince of Dawei, it was proper for Yan Wanqing as the hostess of the Princess Residence to see him out.

Huai Yu, seeing this, followed them out, but upon reaching the entrance, she sensed a frosty gaze from a certain Marquis and hesitated, her steps curving back.

Yan Wanqing didn’t notice this exchange and escorted the guest down to the steps, only to be taken aback at the sight of a black horse.

"Your Highness didn’t take a carriage today?"

Xiao Pingfeng nodded, "The carriage is too slow; I rode here directly."

He had ordered gifts to be prepared early on and, after dealing with urgent matters, rode from the military camp in the Northwest Region.

"What a beautiful horse," Yan Wanqing’s eyes lit up.

The tall, majestic horse was pitch black with glossy fur; its dark, bright eyes sparkled as if they contained thousands of stars, giving it an exceptionally lovable and spirited appearance.

Seeing her interest, Xiao Pingfeng smiled and said, "Her name is Hei Yun. If you like her, I will give her to you."

Hei Yun, upon hearing her master’s words about being given away, expressed her displeasure with a snort.

Seeing this, Yan Wanqing bent her eyebrows playfully, "All creatures have spirits, and it seems that Your Highness’s horse understands human speech." She reached out to touch the horse, but Hei Yun turned her head away, refusing to be touched.

"Oh, she’s got quite the temperament," Yan Wanqing laughed, "But what a pity, there’s nothing I’ve wanted to touch that I haven’t been able to." With those words, she used Xiao Pingfeng’s shoulder to vault effortlessly onto the horse, moving so quickly that Hei Yun had no time to react.

By the time Hei Yun realized what was happening, Yan Wanqing had already taken hold of the reins, looking triumphant as she declared, "If you throw me off, I will ensure your master doesn’t feed you for three days and three nights."

Just as Hei Yun was about to spring into action, she looked at Xiao Pingfeng and saw her owner wearing a doting smile toward the woman on her back. Feeling wronged, she placed her front hooves back on the ground.

That’s enough, no need to say more.

The horse understands in her heart.

The horse’s heart is troubled, but she simply does not speak. Even if she did, no one would understand the horse’s language.

Yan Wanqing noticed that Hei Yun, stationed beneath her, snorted obediently in place and she curved her lips slightly.

"So many years have passed, and your horse-taming skills are still so unique," said Xiao Pingfeng, looking up at Yan Wanqing on the horse’s back. There were a few beads of sweat on her nose under the sun, indicating that the recent activity had tired her out, but her lips remained curved in a smile, prompting him to smile as well.

Yan Wanqing took a deep breath while sitting on the horse’s back.

Since she had been afflicted with the Thousand Mechanism, she hadn’t been on horseback in four years, almost forgetting that she had grown up on a horse.

Touching the reins in her hand, she was filled with nostalgia.

Indeed, what’s etched in one’s bones can’t be fooled.

"Hei Yun is very well-behaved. If it were any ordinary horse without such spirit, I would have been thrown off by now," Yan Wanqing said loudly on purpose and sure enough, heard Hei Yun snort proudly.

Then, showing off, Hei Yun carried Yan Wanqing around in two circles on the spot.

Wanqing laughed heartily, delighted.

Little thing, you’re quite easy to please.

Xiao Pingfeng watched the harmony between the two, becoming slightly lost in thought.

If he had known it would be like this, he would have brought more living creatures. She likes Hei Yun so much, he wondered what other animals she might like.

Yan Wanqing knew it was getting late, and she didn’t want to delay Xiao Pingfeng’s business, so she tried to dismount, but as she attempted, she suddenly felt the world spinning, and instinctively tightened her grip on the reins!

Xiao Pingfeng had been paying attention to Yan Wanqing and noticed her off state, so he quickly called out as he rushed over, "Hei Yun!"

Hei Yun, sensing the oddity of the person on her, immediately knelt on her front hooves and crouched down, and at the same time, Xiao Pingfeng arrived just in time to catch Yan Wanqing in his arms.

Seeing both the horse and the man so concerned for her, Yan Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh and put a hand to her forehead.

"It’s nothing, just a bit of dizziness for a moment. I’ll be fine in no time." She slowly stood up straight. In such a crowd, such behavior was quite improper.

Xiao Pingfeng felt her withdrawal, his expression stiffening slightly as he slowly released his hold.

Huai Yu, who had been standing at the gate welcoming guests, breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Yan Wanqing was okay.

It was lucky she had been caught; if she had fallen off the horse, the baby in her belly would have been in danger!

Guests at the gate, noticing Huai Yu’s concern, shifted their gaze between the Crown Prince and her. Eventually, one guest reached out to pat Huai Yu on the shoulder, saying, "Young Marquis, the ability to bend and stretch is truly the mark of a great man!"

Huai Yu: "???" What nonsense is this?!

Could it be that she had seen a ’cap’ above her own head in everyone’s eyes?

Huai Yu couldn’t help but touch her head.

Then, looking at the two people at the gate, seemingly having some conversation, the Crown Prince smoothly mounted the horse. His movements were like flowing clouds and water, and then he sped off toward the Northwest Region. Yan Wanqing also gracefully walked back.

"Wasn’t he supposed to give you the horse? Why did he ride away on his own? Could it be that he can’t bear to part with it?" Huai Yu walked up to her and asked.