Chapter 23: No One Ever Said They’d Protect Him

Chapter 23: No One Has Ever Said They Would Protect Him

"I've delivered your message, Your Ladyship. The Empress has already secured this opportunity for you. Whether you go or not is your call."

The eunuch's tone was light and breezy—it was Head Eunuch Zhao, the chief eunuch of Consort Zhang's palace.

Yan Huaixuan had originally wanted to refuse. Ling Yun had already returned to his side long ago, but he saw Shen Lian behind the screen, blinking his eyes with an expression full of expectation.

Yan Huaixuan seemed lost in thought for a moment, then said in an indifferent tone, "Mm, tomorrow evening, I'll bring my household along."

Upon hearing this, Head Eunuch Zhao finally revealed a smile. "I'll go report to the Empress now."

As soon as he left, Shen Lian came out from behind the screen. He wasn't stupid—he knew that Yan Huaixuan had wanted to refuse a moment ago.

Shen Lian couldn't help but ask, "Why did you suddenly change your mind, Your Highness?"

Yan Huaixuan was reading a book and didn't even look up. "If I don't go, I'm afraid someone's going to be crying."

Yan Huaixuan assumed Shen Lian knew nothing about Ling Yun. In his previous life, Ling Yun had never been shown to anyone, and no one knew that Ling Yun was a sword with a sword spirit.

He only assumed that Shen Lian had been stuck in the cold palace for too long and wanted to get out and have some fun.

Hearing this, Shen Lian's heart skipped a beat. "Did you agree because of me, Your Highness?"

The moment he finished speaking, he got a tap on the head. "Have you memorized the meditation technique I taught you today?"

At the mention of this, Shen Lian's face visibly dropped.

That meditation technique was for strengthening the body, meant to be used in conjunction with the martial forms.

But the problem was, it was long and tedious—longer than an entire book. How was he supposed to remember all that?

Yan Huaixuan watched his troubled expression, and a slight smile tugged at his lips. "Didn't you say the day before yesterday that you wanted to train diligently and one day become a martial hero roaming the world?"

Shen Lian's cheeks flushed slightly. "That was just a spur-of-the-moment thing."

Shen Lian leaned closer to Yan Huaixuan. "I'd rather stay with you, Your Highness."

Yan Huaixuan lifted his eyes, about to say that you always say one thing today and another tomorrow.

But then, Shen Lian's gaze turned unexpectedly serious.

Shen Lian knelt beside Yan Huaixuan, laying his head on Yan Huaixuan's lap.

"I want to train hard so I can protect you in the future, Your Highness."

These words hit him right in the heart.

His fingers, gripping the book, had tightened without him realizing.

Yan Huaixuan's lips parted slightly. "Do you think I need protection?"

By any logic, it should be him protecting Shen Lian.

But Shen Lian said, completely matter-of-fact, "Why do you have to need it to be worth protecting? And that doesn't stop me from wanting to protect my husband, does it?"

As these words fell, the frost in Yan Huaixuan's pale, unreadable eyes seemed to melt away layer by layer.

"What... did you just say?"

His eyes settled on Shen Lian.

"Because I love you, I want you to stay healthy and safe. Even if you don't need me, I can still quietly watch over you."

After saying that, Shen Lian suddenly felt embarrassed. He turned his head away, looking a little awkward. "I know I'm not that capable, but that doesn't change my determination to protect you."

It suddenly hit him—no one had ever said they'd protect him.

When he was cast into the cold palace as a child, no one cared. He learned to fend for himself.

Even after being brought out, he was surrounded by scheming and backstabbing.

Those people showed him kindness, but it always came with strings attached.

Later, as his cultivation soared, their gazes gradually turned to respect.

They hoped he would protect the entire cultivation world.

The greater his power, the greater his responsibility. From then on, he carried the burden of protecting all living beings.

But no one had ever said to him—

"I want to protect you, Your Highness."

Yan Huaixuan's lips parted slightly. He looked at Shen Lian, then said softly, "Sincerity can move even metal and stone."

Hearing this, Shen Lian's eyes slowly lit up.

So was Yan Huaixuan hinting that he was slowly being won over?

Yan Huaixuan had only planned to teach him a few moves, but now he was also teaching him the inner technique.

Didn't that prove Yan Huaixuan was starting to accept him?

Shen Lian walked down the corridor, feeling like the air had never been so sweet.

Thinking of Yan Huaixuan's words, the smile in his eyes spread little by little.

But the system's face turned grim. "Shen Lian! Didn't I tell you to cut off his cultivation opportunities? Now he's still going to the banquet—what do we do now!"

Shen Lian's smile dimmed. "What am I supposed to do? I didn't say anything. Yan Huaixuan decided to go on his own—how can I stop him?"

As the system fumed, Shen Lian said, "Fine, I'll figure something out. In the original plot, the emperor casually gifted Ling Yun to Yan Huaixuan, and Yan Huaixuan only awakened Ling Yun by accidentally dripping blood on it. There are plenty of chances in between."

Hearing this, the system finally shut up. "You'd better think it through. If the mission fails, we're both done for."

"Mm, I know," Shen Lian replied dismissively. The system was furious but couldn't say anything for now.

After all, it had zapped Shen Lian before, which had already messed up his plan.

That said, Shen Lian really did want to go to the banquet. First, he'd been stuck in this cold palace way too long. Second, it was the emperor's birthday—something he'd only ever seen on TV.

By the next afternoon, Shen Lian was already itching with excitement.

Yan Huaixuan had no choice but to set down his book. "Are you that excited?"

Shen Lian nodded, eyes sparkling. "Of course! It's the emperor's birthday!"

Yan Huaixuan's eyes swept over his features, recalling how this person had once spoken of being confined within the courtyard, and so he said nothing more.

He allowed Shen Lian to remain restless, resolutely refusing to recite the texts himself.

The system was about to chide Shen Lian for making such a fuss over a mere imperial birthday, when it suddenly remembered Shen Lian's current age.

He was barely twenty.

The system fell silent at once. After all that Shen Lian had endured, he was only twenty.

Soon, the time came to attend the banquet, and Shen Lian began to hesitate once more.

Yan Huaixuan, however, remained composed. "What is it?"

Shen Lian tugged at his robes. "Will I embarrass you, Your Highness, looking like this?"

He glanced at himself in the mirror. "I hear the harem is full of beauties... what if I make you a laughingstock—"

Before he could finish, Yan Huaixuan said softly, "You won't."

Shen Lian was taken aback, turning to look at Yan Huaixuan. "Truly?"

Yan Huaixuan said nothing, but gently plucked a flower and tucked it beside Shen Lian's temple.

Shen Lian caught a whiff of jasmine, his eyes suddenly brightening as he looked up at Yan Huaixuan.

But Yan Huaixuan suddenly couldn't meet his gaze.

He thought the young man's worries were completely unfounded.

Shen Lian likely had no idea how strikingly beautiful he was. Unadorned, with just a pale jasmine at his temple, he was enough to captivate the soul, especially since he had carefully chosen his finest robes.