She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 284 - 283: Since It’s a Trade, There Must Be Give and Take

Chapter 284: Chapter 283: Since It’s a Trade, There Must Be Give and Take

Lin Yanran, upon hearing this, could hardly believe her eyes as she looked toward Xiao Pingfeng.

"Your Highness, is what she said true?"

Xiao Pingfeng was well aware of what this young girl was thinking.

She simply couldn’t stand Lin Yanran and wanted to defend her sister.

So he nodded, "Indeed, such words were said."

"How can that be! I will not allow it!" Lin Yanran burst into rage, immediately standing up, "By what right? Why should she get this courtyard?!"

Yan Lingzhen tilted her head innocently, "Because I like it."

These four words infuriated Lin Yanran to the point of beating her chest and stamping her feet.

She knew she couldn’t lose her temper in front of Xiao Pingfeng, so she instead pinched her own thigh hard, "Your Highness, you can’t do this, you can’t give her the courtyard. If you give it to her, where will I live?"

Xiao Pingfeng subtly shifted to avoid Lin Yanran’s flailing arms, his face cold and detached.

"It’ my courtyard, I will give it to whomever I wish."

He might say that, but Lin Yanran felt deeply upset.

The sisters of the Yan family really have no shame!

Yet, at this moment she wasn’t foolish enough to anger Xiao Pingfeng directly, so she sulkily sat to one side, "Alright then, it’s your courtyard, you may give it to anyone, it was ignorant of me. Please don’t be upset, Your Highness, it would worry me."

She would just wait and see what the Yan sisters could use to challenge her after tonight, when everything was set in stone.

The Crown Prince was indifferent to others, but he was especially generous to his own people.

Lin Yanran had faith in this and was determined to throw herself at the Crown Prince this evening.

Seeing that Lin Yanran wasn’t causing trouble anymore, Xiao Pingfeng sighed in relief. Otherwise, he truly would have been tempted to kick this woman into the pond.

Having achieved her purpose, Yan Lingzhen didn’t want to stay and look at Lin Yanran’s face any longer. While her face was beautiful, it was all an artificial whitewash, pale and ghastly, stifling in the light of day and a far cry from her ideals of a healthy beauty.

"Then Xiaoliu shall take her leave. Crown Prince, don’t forget the promise to Xiaoliu," Yan Lingzhen said, handing Lin Yanran a pill, "Almost forgot, here’s today’s antidote."

If she didn’t take the antidote and died in her courtyard, that really would be bad luck.

Not long after Yan Lingzhen left, Lin Yanran realized that the Crown Prince had also gone.

She stomped her feet in frustration in the courtyard.

...

Inside the palace.

"This is already the second pot of tea, Empress Dowager, are you still not planning to tell what today’s summoning Anping here is about?" Yan Wanqing gently placed her cup on the table, her gaze cool as she looked toward the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager slowly lifted her hand, and the two palace maids kneading her shoulders stepped aside.

"The Commandery Princess is truly impatient. It’s just that I haven’t decided how to broach the subject," the Empress Dowager said leisurely, tidying her hair.

Seeing her manner, it was as if she had found her leverage in the negotiations.

Yan Wanqing had already guessed as much, and at the same time, she felt relieved.

"A few days ago, there was always the cry of a kitten in the inner palace. So, I took some people to search, and guess what, Commandery Princess, we did indeed find it," the Empress Dowager said with a curve of her red lips, her eyes gleaming with cunning: "However, this little kitten had been hidden all these days and had nearly turned into a mouse, looking pitifully thin. It took quite an effort to nurse it back to health."

"Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda, Empress Dowager, your kindness sure will bring positive karma," Yan Wanqing smoothly navigated the conversation.

She understood. The Empress Dowager was indicating that this task had not been easy and was hinting at asking for more in return.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes sparkled, "Whether it will bring good karma, I do not know, but staying in the deep palace all this time has really been dull. The arrival of the little one has indeed added some excitement."

"That’s easy to handle. Commander Anping will arrange some reliable people for Empress Dowager. Taking care of the little one is really hard. It is better to let Anping take over," she replied.

The two exchanged words, ostensibly discussing a cat, yet perhaps not about a cat at all.

The palace maids dared not make a sound.

The Empress Dowager thought that Yan Wanqing was too slick, totally missing the point.

Thus, she was tired.

Raising her hand, she commanded, "You all may leave, I have words to speak with the Commandery Princess alone."

The palace maids bowed, "As you command." They all exited, leaving only the two of them in the grand hall.

The Empress Dowager looked at Yan Wanqing and lazily lifted her hands, lightly clapping them.

Soon, a nanny emerged from behind the screen at her back, holding a swaddled baby.

Yan Wanqing’s heart tightened, but she quickly suppressed the excitement within her.

"Anping", the Empress Dowager began straightforwardly, "I have found this child for you, and I can hand over the thief who stole the child to you as well, but you must also show me, after all this effort, what I will ultimately gain."

Yan Wanqing’s gaze was calm, "That question should be asked by Anping, Empress Dowager, what exactly do you want?"

The Empress Dowager’s expression shifted.

These past days, Empress Zhang Lanyi had been troubling her on various matters.

Her methods were not clean; a simple investigation would reveal all.

Perhaps she did not even bother to hide her tracks; this infuriated the Empress Dowager deeply.

But impatience would ruin grand schemes, and she finally had waited till this day.

"I know that without you, Zhang Lanyi can’t achieve greatness. But why did you choose to help her specifically? There are so many princes in court, pick any one of them, and you could bring the Yan Family back to its peak. This is what I don’t understand and particularly want to clear up."

If Yan Wanqing didn’t clarify this issue, the Empress Dowager felt it would be hard to trust her.

"Actually, many people want to know this, and many have their own answers." Yan Wanqing stood up and began pacing slowly inside the grand hall: "Anping made a wrong choice previously, leading to irreversible consequences, so directly afterwards, Anping wanted to do something different, something contrary to the norms of this world..."

"Can you speak in a way I can understand?" the Empress Dowager complained. Using such circuitous talk was truly exhausting.

Empress Dowager frowned at Yan Wanqing and urged, "Just speak plainly; it’s pointless to be secretive at this juncture. Do you even want this child anymore?"

Yan Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh lightly, "To obey is to respect, all phrases come down to one sentence, ’Who says women are inferior to men?’"

Who says women are inferior to men?

She had deliberately chosen the weakest, even a chess piece that couldn’t make it onto the board.

She wanted the heavens and earth to open their eyes and see, whatever a man could do, a woman could do as well!

The Empress Dowager was stunned by the brightness and determination in her eyes. After a long while, she touched her hair and spoke, "You do have ambition; if only I was ten or twenty years younger, perhaps I could join you in this battle. But now, I only want to coast along till death. The court, the world does not concern me anymore."

She paused, then looked at Yan Wanqing, "I have a grudge against that Empress, and when the day comes, I hope you can save my life for the sake of this child."

She was indirectly responsible for the death of Zhang Lanyi’s father.

Yan Wanqing had heard about the past secrets, but ultimately, she didn’t understand them as clearly as the parties involved.

Hearing the Empress Dowager say this, she realized the situation might be much more severe than she had thought.

In these days the Empress seemed anxious and agitated, obviously disturbed by the Empress Dowager.

"Anping agrees."

The Empress Dowager had found Imperial Consort Sun’s child and handed him over; she agreed to one condition from the Empress Dowager, a fair and reasonable deal.

"Won’t you think it over?" the Empress Dowager was astonished by Yan Wanqing’s directness.

Previously, it was all about circumlocution; now it’s outright, making her a bit unaccustomed.

Yan Wanqing smiled slightly, "Anping is discussing a transaction with the Empress Dowager. Since it is a transaction, there should be reciprocation. Otherwise, without achieving what you desire, why would you hand over this child to Anping, right?"

The Empress Dowager laughed heartily, "That’s right, this straightforwardness is how it should be."

Yan Wanqing took the little prince from the nanny’s arms, a tiny little one, still asleep.

His small hand suddenly grasped her little finger, and Yan Wanqing was stunned.

The Empress Dowager made a sarcastic remark beside her: "Family is indeed family, there’s a natural closeness. This little one has never grabbed my hand like