Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 409: Shameless Scoundrel

At Prince Wei Mansion, Si Jun’s face was ghastly pale from coughing as the guards returned.

Si Jun asked anxiously, "Where is Hei Yu? Have you found him?"

The guard stammered, "Still... not yet."

Si Jun roared in anger, "Useless fools!"

His worry deepened. Without Hei Yu, even his own safety couldn’t be guaranteed.

In the past, when Hei Yu got injured on missions, he would often hide to recover and return after a few days.

But this time was different. None of the dozen Death Guards returned. Even if injured or dead, there should have been some traces.

How could there be nothing at all?

Then another guard came to report, "Reporting to the Prince, the Regent Princess Consort’s carriage returned to the mansion before nightfall."

Si Jun coughed a few times, his heart churning as though set aflame. It seemed Hei Yu’s mission had indeed failed.

For now, he could do nothing but wait.

After the guard left, the Deputy Commander of the Death Guards, Jiangliu, came to report, "Master, an expert assassin has arrived in Ding’an City."

Si Jun coughed into his handkerchief and said, "Go quickly... spare no expense to win him over."

"Wait, also that Li Sui—tell the strategists to think of how to use him..." Si Jun’s eyes darkened.

...

Zhan Lan returned to the mansion. Mu Yan didn’t ask a single question about Hei Yu.

First, Vermilion Bird had already reported to him in advance.

Second, he trusted Zhan Lan’s capability to handle the matter; he didn’t need to intervene.

Mu Yan untied Zhan Lan’s cloak and noticed bloodstains on her garments. It was undoubtedly Hei Yu’s blood.

Zhan Lan raised her chin at Mu Yan and said, "Do you think you married a merciless female demon who kills without batting an eye?"

Mu Yan curled his lips into a smile. "It’s perfect then—this prince has blood on his hands. Together... we’re a match made in heaven."

Zhan Lan beamed brightly and walked toward the bathing room, taking off her clothes as she went.

Mu Yan picked up the bloodied garments behind her good-naturedly, cracked the door ajar, and tossed them to Vermilion Bird, saying, "Burn these."

"Yes, Master!" Vermilion Bird took the clothes and left.

Mu Yan watched Zhan Lan enter the bathing room. Lan’er probably didn’t realize how dashing and beautiful she looked as she walked and disrobed, leaving him utterly captivated.

Mu Yan fiddled with the Jade Pendant, waiting for Zhan Lan to finish. When she emerged from her bath, she looked contemplative, a faint smile on her lips, her expression cold as frost. Her every movement carried a commanding aura, creating an invisible barrier that no one dared to breach.

As she walked and dressed, the hem of her robe flared behind her, rippling like waves.

Mu Yan leaned against the table, watching her. Her imposing presence seemed unbecoming of a woman.

"What are you looking at?" Zhan Lan turned her gaze to Mu Yan, her expression bright with amusement.

Mu Yan stood and wrapped a single arm around her waist. "This prince always feels you resemble an empress."

Zhan Lan’s smile deepened. "This world doesn’t belong to men alone. But becoming an empress isn’t easy. Societal norms restrain women—it’s not something that can change overnight. Some women can’t even accept the idea of a female emperor."

Mu Yan’s smile grew warmer. "This prince has never thought of you that way."

Zhan Lan raised her brow at him. "Otherwise, I wouldn’t appreciate you this much."

"Mutual admiration!" Mu Yan held her hand as they sat, recounting the day’s events to her.

"What? Heir Bai Chen was bitten by Little Black?" Zhan Lan’s mouth formed an astonished "O."

"Bai Chen’s martial arts aren’t weak. How could he end up with Little Black’s son biting his finger, followed by Little Black biting his thigh?"

Mu Yan smirked. "You’d have to ask Bai Chen himself. Perhaps he enjoyed it."

"What do you mean by that?" Zhan Lan questioned.

Mu Yan leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Maybe Bai Chen, like this prince, has fallen... hard."

"Fallen? For whom...?"

"Who do you think? Aside from you, the mistress of this estate, how many other women live here?"

Zhan Lan speculated, "Is it Xiao Tao?"

Mu Yan lightly tapped her nose. "Do you think Bai Chen would fall for a silly, care-free girl like her?"

Zhan Lan pondered for a moment and said, "For someone flamboyant like Bai Chen, Liu Xi’s steady personality does complement him."

Zhan Lan tilted her head at Mu Yan. "Should I start preparing a dowry for Liu Xi? I feel a bit reluctant to part with her..."

Mu Yan chuckled softly. "It probably won’t happen so soon."

Zhan Lan smiled gently. She understood—like herself, Liu Xi had been hurt before and wasn’t quick to trust men.

"Then let’s let things unfold naturally!" Zhan Lan paused, then asked with suspicion, "But do you think your good brother is reliable? If he dares to mistreat Liu Xi, I won’t hesitate to teach him a lesson!"

Mu Yan looked into Zhan Lan’s eyes and said, "Bai Chen isn’t that despicable, trust me."

Zhan Lan knew: to judge someone, one must rely on their own observations rather than hearsay.

Take Mu Yan, for instance. His reputation had been terrible at first, but the Mu Yan she saw differed from what people said. And if Bai Chen and Mu Yan were sworn brothers, he couldn’t be too far off the mark.

"What are you thinking about?" Mu Yan leaned closer to her.

Zhan Lan smiled radiantly. "Thinking about you..."

The corners of Mu Yan’s lips lifted uncontrollably as he pulled Zhan Lan into a tight embrace.

Pressing against his chest, Zhan Lan softly said, "Regent King, can you do a little favor for a humble woman like me?"

Holding her close, Mu Yan said, "Anything."

Zhan Lan raised her eyes to him. "You’re not even asking what it is that I want?"

Mu Yan kissed her hair and said, "Anything within my power, you only need to name it."

Zhan Lan leaned in and whispered her request. Mu Yan nodded. "Though it’s a bit challenging, your husband will make it happen."

Zhan Lan’s brows curved happily as she gazed at Mu Yan, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"That’s all the reward I get?" Mu Yan teased, pointing to his lips. Zhan Lan chuckled and hooked her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his.

...

Late at night, there were two people in the Prince Wei Mansion lying awake, unable to sleep.

One was Bai Chen, sprawled on Liu Xi’s bed, while the other was Liu Xi, awkwardly stationed in the outer room.

Bai Chen couldn’t sleep due to the overwhelming tension and guilt for seizing Liu Xi’s bed.

Liu Xi couldn’t sleep for fear that Bai Chen’s injuries might reopen, and because she had never shared quarters with a man—it was unbearably awkward.

From the inner room, Bai Chen called out, "Liu Xi, how old are you this year?"

Liu Xi ignored him, pretending not to hear.

Bai Chen chuckled. "Then let me tell you—this heir is twenty-one this year."

Sitting under the candlelight, Liu Xi twiddled with her fingers, still refusing to reply.

Bai Chen, undeterred, continued with a grin, "Then I should call you my little sister, shouldn’t I? You look just sixteen."

Liu Xi turned over on her side, saying nothing. She was already nineteen, a year older than Zhan Lan.

Bai Chen, a smooth talker, had the nerve to claim she looked only sixteen.

He carried on, "This heir is the only son in my family. But my mother is rather rough; after just getting beaten and driven out of the house, I came to find my big brother for refuge..."

As he spoke, Bai Chen sounded increasingly pitiful. "Liu Xi, tell me, in the future, you won’t treat our son so harshly, right?"

Fuming, Liu Xi clenched her fists. Bai Chen truly was an incorrigible scoundrel.

Not hearing her response, Bai Chen persisted, "This heir sleeps very politely, with no bad habits. Why don’t you consider me?"

Forcing herself to close her eyes, Liu Xi tried to ignore him. Suddenly, Bai Chen let out a startled cry.

Liu Xi shot up in alarm and hurried into the inner room, moving briskly to his bedside. Bai Chen pointed to the corner of the bed and said, "What is that creepy thing... over there in the corner!"