Chapter 123: Extremely Cooperative

"Very well, that is not a major issue; I can help you resolve it," Nan Ye replied.

After answering, he pondered for a moment and continued, "What kind of clothing do you prefer? I will bring some for you, and then you shall accompany me into the palace wearing them."

Yan Heru looked at Nan Ye with a hint of confusion. Perceiving her doubt, he explained, "Since I am taking you to meet the Emperor, you cannot continue to dress like this. I will prepare a few outfits for you to choose from."

Yan Heru nodded. "I have no particular preference. Whatever the Fourth Prince deems suitable will suffice."

Nan Ye nodded in agreement and turned to leave.

Left alone in the dungeon, Yan Heru sighed helplessly at the empty cell. She thought to herself: The Prince must be very worried about me right now. Or perhaps not… I haven't even found the Prince yet, and I don't know his current state, yet here I am, captured before I could even locate him.

Yan Heru sat on the straw pile in the cell, wondering how things had evolved into such a predicament.

Not long after Nan Ye departed, his subordinates returned and escorted Yan Heru to a comfortable inn.

"Our master said you are to stay here tonight. He will come to see you early tomorrow morning," one of the subordinates said coldly before leaving.

Yan Heru curled her lip in frustration. After a moment of thought, she quietly pushed the door open, only to find two guards stationed right outside. As soon as she opened the door, their eyes fixed firmly upon her.

"Er..." Yan Heru looked left and right in embarrassment, then quietly closed the door and retreated into the room.

Since there was no way to leave through the front door, could she climb down from the window? The inn was only two stories high; a fall would likely only result in minor bruises and nothing critical.

She went to the window and looked out, only to find a person perched in a tree and three or four others stationed beneath the window. Although they appeared nonchalant, as if they weren't intentionally guarding her, Yan Heru knew better; she was a captive, and they were certainly there to watch her.

She angrily shut the window and sat on the bed, arms crossed, pouting. "Despicable! I never expected them to watch me so closely. I am but a weak woman—are they truly so afraid I might escape?" She sighed once more.

Knowing there was no way to flee, Yan Heru decided to face the situation head-on. She absolutely could not afford any mishaps. She had yet to find the whereabouts of the Ninth Prince, and now, this Fourth Prince had suddenly appeared.

Although she knew her own identity, she had only previously heard of it from the Third Prince, Nan An, and had not fully believed it at the time. Now that the Fourth Prince had abducted her and spoken of presenting her to the Emperor, it could hardly be for anything good. Perhaps he intended to use her as a scapegoat, much like the princesses sent for political marriages she had read about in stories.

Yan Heru had no desire to be a princess sent for a political marriage. Therefore, she lay down on the bed, intending to get a good night's sleep; only by resting and gathering her strength could she find a better chance to escape.

In truth, the main reason was that escape was impossible; both the door and the window were guarded tightly. Unless she could sprout wings, there was truly no way out.

Yan Heru forced herself to calm down, lay back, and soon fell into a deep sleep, not waking until the next morning.

At dawn, she awoke. Nan Ye had not yet arrived. Yan Heru took a small packet of medicinal powder and a tiny porcelain vial from her robes. Looking at them, a smile touched her lips.

"With these two things, I need not fear any predicament. If there is truly no other way, I can take my enemies down with me! Killing one is not a loss; killing two is a gain!" She had already prepared for the worst.

Just then, the Fourth Prince arrived.

"Knock, knock, knock..." He tapped on the door with great courtesy.

"Please, come in," Yan Heru replied.

Upon receiving permission, Nan Ye entered, followed by three maids carrying three sets of clothing. The maids placed the garments before her, and Nan Ye said, "As I mentioned yesterday, please choose the one you prefer."

Yan Heru had no heart for choosing clothes; she did not truly wish to enter the palace to see the Emperor of the Nanyang Kingdom. She carelessly picked up the one closest to her.

"This one will do. I think they are all much the same; there is nothing to choose from."

Yan Heru's cooperative attitude made the Fourth Prince somewhat suspicious, but given his plans, he had no time to ponder why she was being so agreeable.

"Since you have chosen, go ahead and try it on to see if it fits. If there are no issues, we shall depart for the palace immediately," Nan Ye said.

Yan Heru nodded but did not move. Nan Ye, thinking she was plotting something, was beginning to feel pleased with his own foresight when Yan Heru suddenly said something that left him quite embarrassed.

"Since you have asked me to change clothes, do you intend to stand there and watch?" Yan Heru was genuinely confused; she did not think she could change in front of so many people.

"Ahem..." Nan Ye coughed awkwardly, touching his nose to hide his embarrassment, and then motioned for his men to leave, leaving only the three maids behind.

Just as Nan Ye was about to cross the threshold, Yan Heru stopped him again. "Wait a moment."

Nan Ye looked back, puzzled. "Take your three women with you as well. I don't need anyone; I can do it myself."

Nan Ye looked at Yan Heru, then at the maids, and finally led them away.

Once she was truly alone in the room, she felt at ease changing her clothes. However, just as she finished and was about to call for Nan Ye, loud shouting and the sound of fighting erupted outside the door.

"What is the meaning of this? You won't even say a word before resorting to violence?" said Nan An.

"I don't like looking at you, so I want to fight you. What of it? If you have the ability, kill me." It was a woman's voice.

Startled by this sudden turn of events, Yan Heru hid by the door and began to eavesdrop.