Chapter 45: A Monstrous Talent in His Early Twenties

After waking up, Huanlan Haoyang grew increasingly suspicious. The fragrance from the previous night seemed vaguely familiar, and a breathtaking face had flickered in his hazy memory.

"She must be an absolute beauty, tsk tsk..."

Recalling the electric sensation of his skin brushing against Mo Liuli's, Huanlan Haoyang’s imagination ran wild, completely driving his inability to consummate the marriage the night before out of his mind.

"Father, your son pays his respects to you!"

Beaming with vitality and accompanied by several maidservants, Huanlan Haoyang entered the imperial study to greet the corpulent emperor, only to notice a stranger present. His eyes darted around, and he could not help but linger on the newcomer.

"Father, who is this..."

"Scoundrel! Hurry up and pay your respects to the Grand Emperor!" The plump emperor glared furiously at Huanlan Haoyang, cold sweat beading on his back.

This brute actually dared to cast his lustful gaze upon the Grand Emperor! Should she take offense, even he would be powerless to intercede!

The person standing nearby was none other than the Grand Emperor Huanlan, who had regained her youth. Annoyed at first that this junior had shown her disrespect the moment he entered, she reconsidered: if he couldn't take his eyes off her, didn't that prove her appearance had been remarkably restored?

Therefore, she did not reprimand Huanlan Haoyang, nor did she realize that he was the crown prince who had married "Mo Liuli."

The Grand Emperor?

Huanlan Haoyang was profoundly shocked by his father's address. "Father, you—you aren't joking, are you? How could the Grand Emperor... how could the Grand Emperor look so young? This is clearly a young woman in her early twenties!"

Believing no outsiders were present, Huanlan Haoyang spoke bluntly despite dropping his formalities, his gaze still glued to Huanlan, reluctant to look away.

"Pfft, this child really knows how to sweet-talk."

Hearing someone describe her as looking like a woman in her early twenties swept away all of Huanlan's gloom from the past few days. Chuckling gleefully, she walked over to Huanlan Haoyang and gently traced her fingers across his refined features.

Witnessing this scene, the plump emperor dared not utter a word, his heart in his throat as he nervously observed their reactions.

"Monster..."

Disguised as an ugly maid among the group of attendants, Mo Liuli caught sight of the scene from outside the palace doors, her heart skipping a beat as she marveled at Huanlan's preserved youth.

It was indeed just as Huanlan Haoyang had said: the current Huanlan looked like a young woman in her early twenties.

Seeing the two individuals—separated by who knows how many generations—acting so intimately inside made Mo Liuli feel nauseated, deepening her disgust for Huanlan even further.

She had hoped to overhear some whispers concerning Long'er, but unfortunately, everything coming from inside consisted only of ambiguous and suggestive banter.

Mo Liuli was on the verge of leaving to search for clues on her own, but constrained by her identity as a maid whose master was still inside, she could not simply walk away.

"Grand Emperor, Haoyang thinks it sounds much nicer to call you Aunt Lan. You are so young; calling you Grand Emperor makes you sound far too elderly."

Seeing that the Grand Emperor was pleased, Huanlan Haoyang laid on the flattery thick, sweet-talking Huanlan until her face flushed like rouge with delight.

"Lord Jing, look at how well this child speaks; you should learn a thing or two from him. Besides, the matter of dealing with Protector Wu at the palace gates shall be handled by Haoyang accompanying me. You may continue with your duties."

"Come, let's go broaden our horizons with Aunt Lan." Tidyng her hairpins, Huanlan walked leisurely ahead, leading Huanlan Haoyang toward the palace gates.

"Ah, what is this business with Protector Wu?" Mingling among the maidservants in the rear, Mo Liuli leaned over to whisper to the nearest maid when she saw no one was paying attention.

The questioned maid cast a furtive glance around, and seeing that the others were sufficiently far away, she leaned close to Mo Liuli and whispered, "Word has it outside that the once-sensational eldest daughter of the Mo family has been hidden away in our palace, and this Protector Wu has come to demand her release."