Volume One, Chapter 19: Xiao Tingyu’s Grand Gesture

The moment Liu Ran finished speaking, she hurriedly stepped into the grand hall.

Inside, Xiao Qingshan sat upright at his desk. His face, already somewhat ashen, grew even darker the instant he saw Liu Ran, as if it could drip with gloom.

Yet Liu Ran was not intimidated by Xiao Qingshan’s expression. Taking a deep breath, she spoke first, “Your Majesty, I have just personally made some delicious osmanthus cakes, and I brought them specially for Your Majesty to taste.”

With that, she carefully placed the exquisite food box on the desk.

Xiao Qingshan showed no interest in the osmanthus cakes. Suddenly, he slammed the brush in his hand onto the table with a sharp sound and, in an extremely impatient tone, demanded, “Consort, whom did you just meet?”

Liu Ran remained remarkably calm in the face of his questioning. She answered steadily and truthfully, “Your Majesty, I happened to encounter Prince Yu on the way.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qingshan's expression darkened further. His voice involuntarily rose a few degrees as he pressed again, “What did you two talk about?”

Still keeping her head lowered, Liu Ran spoke softly, “Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. Prince Yu and I merely exchanged greetings upon chance meeting; we said nothing beyond formal pleasantries.”

“Hmph!” Xiao Qingshan snorted coldly, clearly disbelieving her. His tone grew more severe. “Consort, I expect you to behave honestly and properly within this palace. If I discover any misconduct from you, do not blame me for being ruthless!”

Hearing this warning, Liu Ran quickly responded with fear, “I dare not, Your Majesty. I beg for your clear judgment!”

Xiao Qingshan, now furious, pointed at the box of osmanthus cakes and shouted, “Remove this at once! Without my permission, you shall not set foot in this room again!”

“Your servant takes her leave.”

Though feeling wronged, Liu Ran dared not say more. She silently lifted the food box, slowly bowed her head, and turned toward the door.

Beside her, Zi Qiu looked on with deep concern. “Your Highness…”

“Nothing,” Liu Ran replied calmly, “I must obey my father’s orders for my mother’s sake. I expected His Majesty’s anger. With my father’s connection, he will never show me a kind face.”

She paused, then added, “I do not blame His Majesty.” Speaking of her father, there was no trace of affection in Liu Ran’s voice.

Whether in the past or the future, such feelings were like stagnant water—still and unruffled.

---

Meanwhile, after hastily tidying himself, Xiao Qingshan spurred his horse and rushed to the Regency Prince’s residence.

In the Regency Prince’s mansion, Li Chaoyang’s father had passed away early, and his mother had renounced worldly life to become a nun.

As such, there were no elder relatives left to oversee the household.

At that moment, a burst of hearty laughter suddenly echoed through the hall, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

“Ha ha ha ha, this prince is late!” came the loud voice.

It was none other than Xiao Tingyu, who had shed his heavy armor and now donned a flowing robe.

Everyone present was astonished; no one had expected Xiao Tingyu to return to the capital at this time.

The chancellor quickly stepped forward with a smile to explain, “Prince Yu has achieved a great victory in Yan region, successfully recapturing all the surrounding cities. Today, he hastily returned to the capital from Yan.”

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted with praise, “Wonderful, wonderful! Prince Yu is truly brave and exceptional, even reclaiming those cities in Yan. If the late emperor were alive, he would surely be comforted and delighted.”

Others chimed in, “Indeed, Prince Yu’s merits this time are considerable!”

Xiao Qingyu’s face darkened, her beautiful eyes fixed intently on the man before her.

Let me see what tricks he has up his sleeve today!

Xiao Tingyu declared loudly, “I admit I was somewhat careless today, delaying the Regency Prince and the Grand Princess’s joyous occasion. Here, I offer a generous gift to the Grand Princess as an apology.”

With that, he waved his hand and called out, “Bring the gift forward!”

At his command, two burly guards slowly carried a huge cage covered by a thick black cloth.

No one could see what was inside, sparking curiosity as everyone craned their necks to catch a glimpse.

Under the eager gazes, Xiao Tingyu stepped forward and abruptly pulled away the black cloth.

In an instant, an enormous lion with tawny brown and golden fur appeared before the crowd!

---

The lion’s massive body was as imposing as a mountain, radiating a terrifying aura simply by standing there.

Its jaws flew open, revealing sharp, blade-like fangs, while its copperbell-sized eyes gleamed with ferocity.

This sudden sight frightened many present, who scrambled backward in panic, fearing the fierce beast might pounce.

Even the usually composed Xiao Qingshan’s face changed. He clenched his fists tightly, wary of what the lion might do.

But Xiao Tingyu smiled faintly and spoke calmly, “Do not fear, everyone. This lion was specially sought out by me from Yan.”

“Though it looks fierce, its nature is surprisingly gentle. It will not harm anyone without cause.”

Despite his confident assurances, the crowd remained filled with dread, unable to believe the lion was truly as docile as Xiao Tingyu claimed.

Xiao Qingyu parted her ruby lips and said softly, “I am grateful for Prince Yu’s gift. Such a generous present brings me great joy.”

Standing nearby, Xiao Tingyu’s lips curled into a subtle smile as he replied, “I am glad the Grand Princess likes it.” With that, he waved his arm and the iron cage was slowly opened.

Something inside stirred restlessly, causing everyone to hold their breath in anticipation.

Xiao Tingyu whispered softly into the ear of the creature within, “From now on, the Grand Princess will be your master. Go to her quickly!”

As his words fell, a low, deep roar issued from the cage, followed by a black shadow that shot out like lightning.

The sudden turn of events startled everyone greatly. Faces drained of color as they backed away in terror.

Li Chaoyang, originally seated, immediately rose, his expression grave as he signaled the guards beside him to be ready at a moment’s notice.

Zhao Huainian’s face was filled with worry as she fixed her gaze on Xiao Qingyu, unconsciously stepping forward, eager to protect her.