Chapter 161: Difficult to Handle

Lie Chang'an maintained a calm and untroubled expression, his voice cool and detached as he spoke indifferently, "Lord Zhou."

Currently, Zhou Siyuan had been personally bestowed the rank of Grand Secretary of the Third Rank by the Emperor. Logically, addressing him as Lord Zhou was the proper protocol. Furthermore, considering his father's noble status as the First-Rank Duke of Dingguo, one should naturally show utmost respect out of fear of causing offense.

Yet Lie Chang'an was inherently a person of profound coldness and pride, disdaining flattery. Besides, what did it matter if Zhou Siyuan was an official of the third rank? He himself was a general of the second rank; strictly speaking, Zhou Siyuan's official rank was actually lower than his own.

Zhou Siyuan the corner of his mouth twitched, a cold smile forming. Being a clever man who disliked beating around the bush, he asked directly, "General Chang'an seems rather well-acquainted with Princess Danqing?"

Zhou Siyuan could not help but recall the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet last time, when he had run into Lie Chang'an and Guli in the back garden acting somewhat at odds. Noticing the ambiguous atmosphere between the two at that moment, a vague suspicion had taken root in his mind, accompanied by an ineffable sense of unease.

Witnessing it with his own eyes once again, the unreserved intimacy and ambiguity between them convinced him firmly that something had transpired behind his scenes, completely unknown to him.

At this thought, Zhou Siyuan felt his heart tighten. He narrowed his eyes slightly, fixing a penetrating stare upon Lie Chang'an's face.

How could Lie Chang'an fail to pick up on the probing hostility in Zhou Siyuan's words? His expression remained unruffled as he countered with serene lightness, "Is Lord Zhou planning to pry into this general's personal affairs?"

"I have no such intention."

Zhou Siyuan let out a cold, taut smile. "I merely find it necessary to remind General Chang'an. You should be well aware that Princess Danqing and I share a bond forged in childhood, and we are, by all accounts, a match made in heaven. Furthermore, His Majesty has already reached a verbal agreement with my father in private; the moment Princess Danqing comes of age, my marriage to her will be formally decreed. Therefore, Princess Danqing may already be regarded as my bride-to-be."

Zhou Siyuan saw precisely the flash of pain he had hoped for in the depths of Lie Chang'an's eyes. While a surge of triumphant satisfaction washed over him, it was subtly laced with lingering resentment and annoyance.

"General Chang'an, Zhou truly wishes to avoid seeing any man grow too close to Princess Danqing. After all, she is still a maiden yet to reach womanhood, and her reputation is of paramount importance. Furthermore, she is a princess of the realm; thus, this concerns not only the dignity of the imperial family and the honor of the Duke of Dingguo's estate, but also Zhou's lifelong happiness. I trust General Chang'an will understand and endeavor to keep a certain distance from Princess Danqing henceforth."

What an airtight speech.

He truly appealed to human emotions while reasoning with rigorous logic.

As expected of Zhou Siyuan, who remained renowned even while residing afar on Tianming Mountain.

Regrettably, Lie Chang'an had no intention of playing along.

Especially the phrases "Zhou's bride-to-be," repeated over and over again, grated harshly on his ears.

Lie Chang'an smiled coldly, his ink-black eyes devoid of warmth. "And what if I refuse?"

"If you refuse, then things naturally become somewhat difficult to handle."

Zhou Siyuan had not expected him to be so formidable an adversary. It appeared he had fallen deeply and hopelessly in love with Guli. But what about Guli? Did she feel the same way?

Zhou Siyuan found the thought intolerable. Beneath his wide sleeves, his hands had grown freezing red, clenched so tightly into fists that he felt no sensation at all. The sight of the exquisite hand warmer cradled in Lie Chang'an's palms struck him as blindingly offensive.

"If you refuse, Zhou will simply have no choice but to lay the absolute truth before His Majesty."

"Are you threatening me?"

Lie Chang'an narrowed his cold gaze, his thin lips pressed tightly together as his expression darkened.

"This can hardly be called a threat."

Zhou Siyuan offered a completely harmless smile. "Yet if this matter were to leak out, you know full well what the consequences would be. Should His Majesty fly into a rage and order your execution, losing your life might seem a minor matter—though I trust General Chang'an is not someone who holds his own existence in high regard, seeing as you are a warrior who has marched onto battlefields to slaughter enemies, having long since seen through life and death."