What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?

Chapter 457 - 450: Not Too Late—Yao Jun Side Story 2

Princess Shun Ning, Xu Fei, is the foster daughter of the current Empress.Li Yao is also familiar with Xu Fei. One is held by Empress Tang to manage domestic affairs, and the other is kept by her side to handle documents. They often interact, and Li Yao considers herself the elder, showing a kindly demeanor when speaking to Xu Fei: "Ah Fei, why are you here? Did the Empress have any instructions?"

Isn’t that odd? Empress Tang hasn’t shown her face all day today!

Xu Fei shook her head and replied, "I have some doubts to consult Yu Sheren about."

Yu Jun returned with a shy smile: "To consult with me is too much; if the Princess inquires, I shall certainly do my best to answer."

Li Yao: Ha!

Once Xu Fei left, Li Yao’s expression turned stern: "Shun Ning is someone whom the Empress values, you should keep your distance!"

Yu Jun’s eyes sparkled briefly, and he asked with a smile, "How far does the Princess hope?"

Why is it her hoping now?

Li Yao said with a stern face, "As far as possible, don’t corrupt the Empress’s beloved daughter!"

Yu Jun responded with an "Oh," and smiled: "Am I really so unworthy in the Princess’s eyes?"

Li Yao averted her eyes: "Where is Liu Sheng?"

Yu Jun was puzzled: "Which Liu Sheng?"

Li Yao glared at him: "You’re still pretending!"

Yu Jun looked both confused and slightly aggrieved: "I am not sure which Liu Sheng the Princess is referring to? The one from the Imperial College—"

"The student from Shuzhou you took away from Pingyang Temple!"

Yu Jun suddenly understood: "So his surname is Liu!"

"Where is he?"

"Gone."

"Gone?"

Yu Jun nodded: "Liu Sheng, at my invitation, sat for a brief chat and then left."

Li Yao did not believe him: "You have no familial ties with him, why would he enter your home and have a chat?"

Yu Jun smiled: "He is not related to you either, Princess. Yet he entered Pingyang Temple and even stayed a night. It seems he can enter any place he wants."

Li Yao shivered.

Once before, there were others who infiltrated Pingyang Temple hoping to find a way to advance through her, but they all disappeared silently from the Capital City.

Some of them were even young officials—

"Where exactly are you hiding Liu Sheng?" Li Yao was both anxious and angry, "If you don’t hand him over today, we will ask the Empress to intervene!"

Yu Jun put away his smile, looked at her quietly for a moment, then smiled again, stepping aside to open the main door: "If the Princess doesn’t trust me, please feel free to come in and search."

Hearing this, Li Yao hesitated.

As soon as she hesitated, he unexpectedly caught her wrist.

"What? Afraid to go in?" His tone was eerie, with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

In the end, Li Yao was forcibly pulled inside.

Actually, she could have refused, but the sudden curiosity led her to half-heartedly be pulled inside.

They hadn’t walked far when they stopped, because they reached the end.

Li Yao, in all her years, had never seen such a small residence.

Only three sections front to back, the widest courtyard had only ten steps in depth. After bypassing the open hall on all sides, they reached the back residence.

The courtyard of the back residence was even smaller, embarrassingly shabby.

How could this be?

The Emperor’s cousin, even when mentioned by the Empress, is spoken of with affection, how can he be in such straits?

"...Main room for living, east wing for storage, west wing vacant—" Yu Jun followed behind her, introducing the rooms slowly, finally asking, "Would the Princess like to search further?"

Li Yao pursed her lips and asked: "Why not light the lamps?"

Tonight is the sixteenth night of the first month, with the whole city lit up like daylight.

Yet here, there was not a single lamp lit.

Only the moonlight was clear, casting a bright frost-like glow on the ground.

"Why light the lamps?" Yu Jun chuckled softly and walked away from her side.

Ahead was an open door, pitch black inside, like an endless black hole.

Instinctively, Li Yao wanted to call him back, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

This was his own living quarters, what could be barred from entry?

He stepped over the threshold, soon disappearing into the darkness, even his hem vanishing.

"Back in Yue Sheng’s place, every time Yan Bo came, he always made me stand in the shadows, where the light couldn’t reach, that was the safest." From the darkness, came Yu Jun’s distant voice.

Li Yao was speechless, unconsciously moving closer to the darkness.

The case of Yan Bo once caused an uproar in the Capital City, even she had heard of it from within her confines in the deep palace.

Yan Bo, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, grandson of Imperial Tutor Yan, son of Minister of Rites Yan Yuebin, Prince Consort of Princess Runan.

Simultaneously, a beast who brutally tortured three impoverished scholars to death.

Yue Sheng was one of the three imprisoned and tortured by Yan Bo.

And Yu Jun was once a young attendant beside Yue Sheng.

He witnessed Yue Sheng’s suffering and tragic death firsthand and many years later, personally came forward to testify against Yan Bo.

No one knew what kind of life this beautiful child had endured back then.