Lily incense burned in the hall, with milky white smoke continuously rising from the gilt Boshan incense burner, filling the magnificent palace with the delicate fragrance of lilies.

Xin’an walked up to the female official, extended her finger painted with bright red nail polish to lift her chin, and said slowly: “Speaking of which, I never saw you when I was in Daxing Palace. When did you enter the palace, and what’s your name?”

The female official didn’t understand her intention in asking this, but didn’t dare not answer. She replied tremblingly: “In response to the Princess, this servant is called Yanqiu. I entered the palace to serve in the ninth year of the Daye era, and in the tenth year of Daye, I began working in the Palace Administration Bureau.”

Xin’an nodded: “The ninth year of Daye – no wonder. At that time, I had already moved with Father Emperor to Ziwei Palace in Luoyang. Yanqiu… hmm, a decent name, but the person is rather lacking.” At this point, her expression suddenly turned cold, and she slapped Yanqiu across the face: “A mere female official dares to lecture this princess – what audacity!”

Having been slapped without reason, Yanqiu felt greatly wronged and couldn’t help saying: “This servant was only thinking of the Princess, which is why…”

“You still dare to argue!” Xin’an interrupted her, saying coldly: “I am a princess, the fourth aunt of the current emperor. Can I not afford to use some glass? Yet you, a mere servant, make excuses and obstruct the tasks I assign – you truly deserve death!” The angrier she became, the more she spoke, saying to a nearby palace servant: “Drag her down and give her thirty lashes!”

Yanqiu never imagined that well-intentioned reminders would result in physical punishment. Seeing the palace servants approaching her, she quickly knelt down: “This servant knows her error. Please forgive me, Princess!”

Xin’an said expressionlessly: “Too late to know your error now. Take her away.” Though the palace servants felt reluctant, they didn’t dare disobey her words. This master was not as easy to talk to as His Majesty and Princess Jinyang.

Soon, Yanqiu’s wails could be heard from outside, making the palace servants in the hall repeatedly alarmed. But Xin’an held her gilt hand warmer and laughed. Indeed… the imperial palace suited her best, with power over life and death at her fingertips.

At this moment, a eunuch walked in and said with lowered head: “Princess, this servant has something to report.”

This voice made the smile on Xin’an’s lips freeze. After staring at the eunuch for a moment, she said to the palace servants standing with hands at their sides: “All of you withdraw.”

After the palace servants withdrew as instructed, Xin’an said tentatively: “Your Highness?”

The eunuch raised his head, revealing himself to be Li Jiancheng. He stirred the charcoal in the copper brazier and said with a half-smile: “The Princess has such great authority – just returned and already whipping female officials from the Palace Administration Bureau.”

Xin’an held her hand warmer and walked to his side: “You can’t blame me for this. Who told her to provoke my anger? Surely Your Highness doesn’t want me to suffer in silence?”

Li Jiancheng set down the iron tongs and clapped his hands: “As long as you handle the tasks I’ve assigned you, I won’t interfere with such minor matters.”

Xin’an laughed lightly: “Don’t worry, everything is arranged. Tomorrow Jinyang will move back to live in Mingse Palace.”

“Good.” Li Jiancheng had been busy all day coordinating the grain and supplies needed for the military campaign and hadn’t yet returned to the Prince of Tang’s residence.

“Speaking of which, why do you want Yunyi to return to live in the palace? She shouldn’t pose any threat to you.” Ever since learning of Li Jiancheng’s request, this question had been lingering in her mind, leaving her completely puzzled.

Li Jiancheng’s eyes turned cold as he stared at her: “I placed you here to do things for me, not to ask questions.”

Xin’an felt somewhat uneasy under his stare and muttered: “It was just a casual question. If you don’t want to say, then forget it.”

Li Jiancheng snorted lightly: “How you punish palace servants in the palace is none of my concern, but don’t do anything to disturb the people, unless you want to return to the days of wandering the streets without enough to eat.”

Xin’an scoffed: “Your Highness speaks so amusingly. What could a weak woman like me do to disturb the people?”

Hearing her words, Li Jiancheng suddenly laughed. His features were already extremely handsome, and this smile melted away the coldness between his brows, making him extraordinarily beautiful and causing Xin’an to stare in fascination.

“In the past, though I was in Honghua Commandery, I had heard much about Princess Xin’an’s reputation.” Li Jiancheng’s words startled Xin’an from her fascination. She smoothed the loose hair by her ear and revealed a seductive smile: “Oh? What exactly has Your Highness heard?”

Li Jiancheng gazed intently: “When Yang Guang was selecting a prince consort for the Princess, there was already a candidate chosen, but the Princess took a fancy to a man who was already betrothed and insisted that Yang Guang force the marriage. In the end, the Princess got her wish, but the woman previously betrothed to the prince consort hanged herself in grief over losing her beloved. If it had ended there, it might have been acceptable, but within a year, the Princess had grown tired of this prince consort and began an affair with Yuwen Hao. Not content with this, she kept male favorites, using any means necessary to obtain any man she fancied, then discarding them when she grew bored. I heard that even Du Ruhui, who now serves under Shimin, nearly became the Princess’s intimate companion. Calling this dissolute and immoral wouldn’t be excessive at all.”

Princess Xin’an had lost her earlier smile and said with dark eyes: “What do you mean by this?”

Li Jiancheng said expressionlessly: “It’s simple – behave yourself as a princess and don’t disturb the peace of Chang’an City.” If Xin’an’s behavior became too excessive, it could easily ruin his plans, which he absolutely could not tolerate.

Hearing this, Princess Xin’an suddenly laughed again, even more seductively than before. Her delicate fingers caressed Li Jiancheng’s broad chest as she breathed like orchids in his ear: “If staying alone in this Shuangyue Palace is too lonely, why don’t… you stay to keep me company? I promise that in the future… I’ll only be intimate with you alone. How about it?” Feeling the robust muscles under her fingers, Xin’an was stirred with spring desires, even slipping one hand inside Li Jiancheng’s robes.

Li Jiancheng pushed away her hand in disgust and said coldly: “I have no interest in women who will sleep with anyone. I’ve said everything I needed to say. If you don’t listen, don’t blame me for being merciless. I can lift you up, and I can just as easily crush you. Alright, I’ll come notify you if there’s anything else.” After saying this, he turned and left.

Looking at the palace door that slammed shut with a “bang,” Xin’an’s face alternated between pale and flushed. The next moment, she violently threw her hand warmer to the ground, scattering the glowing charcoal across the floor: “This princess favoring you and willing to be intimate with you is your good fortune, yet… yet you’re so ungrateful! Damnable! Damnable!”

Xin’an took several deep breaths, staring at the tightly closed palace door and gritting her teeth: “Li Jiancheng, just wait. Sooner or later, I’ll make you bow down before my charms and beg me to be intimate with you. Hmph!”

No one knew that Li Jiancheng had entered and left Shuangyue Palace, just as no one knew exactly how Xin’an had returned to Chang’an City. Duan Zhihong, following Li Shimin’s orders, searched along the road to Taiyuan but never found any news of Old Zhang, and his family all said they hadn’t seen him either.