ASTRP -Chapter 21 Since Ancient Times, Regent Princes Never Meet a Good End

Prince Yu… let him wait until he comes of age!

As for the matter of Prince Chen’s fief…

Feng Jinge handed it over to Grand Tutor Yuan, the very one who had raised the issue.

If he liked meddling, then he could see it through to the end.

With that settled, no one else stepped forward with further memorials.

Eunuch Chen called out loudly, “Court dismissed!”

All the officials knelt to see Feng Jinge and the young emperor off.

Only after the two left the Hall of Supreme Harmony did the officials rise and gradually disperse.

Once outside, Feng Jinge headed back to the Regent Prince’s residence, while the young emperor returned to the palace for breakfast.

Uncle and nephew parted ways in front of the hall.

Feng Jinge boarded the sedan chair leaving the palace. By then, dawn was just breaking, the sky tinged with pale white.

Ever since leaving the hall, she had been thinking about one thing—getting into the carriage and sleeping.

As soon as she got off the sedan chair, she saw the prince’s carriage waiting.

She wished she could sprint over, jump inside, and collapse straight into sleep.

But the Regent Prince’s persona didn’t allow such behavior.

To keep up appearances, she had to walk calmly and steadily toward the carriage.

Just get inside… just get inside!

Watching the carriage draw nearer, her heartbeat quickened.

She stepped onto the stool, lifted the curtain—

And froze.

A figure in blue sat inside, crashing straight into her line of sight.

The excitement in her eyes instantly solidified into shock.

Why… is he here?!

Xiao Jinghan sat inside the carriage. Seeing her stiff expression, a faint smile appeared on his lips. His cool voice followed:

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

…Good morning my foot!

Feng Jinge climbed into the carriage, rolled her eyes, and said irritably, “Your Highness, spare me the teasing.”

She walked over and flopped straight onto the couch.

Xiao Jinghan sat to the side, quietly watching her—saying nothing, asking nothing.

After lying there for a while without hearing him speak, Feng Jinge turned her head and met his gaze.

“Aren’t you curious whether I slipped up?”

Xiao Jinghan replied calmly, “If you had, would you still be lying here talking to me?”

Feng Jinge was rendered speechless.

“…Then aren’t you concerned about what happened to the young emperor?”

Xiao Jinghan glanced at her, then looked out the window.

“He was pushed into the pond by Princess Jingning.”

Feng Jinge frowned. “A mere princess dares—”

“Heh…”

Xiao Jinghan chuckled coldly, cutting her off.

“She’s no ordinary princess. Empress Dowager Pei is her aunt, and the Imperial Uncle you saw last night is her father.”

Feng Jinge froze, muttering, “No wonder the young emperor said he slipped on moss and fell in himself…”

Another scoff escaped Xiao Jinghan.

“He’s quite good at lying.”

Something about that didn’t sit right with Feng Jinge.

She sat up and looked at him.

The smile had vanished from his face, replaced by a layer of frost; his eyes were cold and distant.

That expression reminded her of the young emperor’s fear-filled gaze.

She pressed her lips together and asked softly,

“Your Highness… is there some misunderstanding between you and the young emperor?”

Xiao Jinghan lifted his eyes, meeting hers.

Under his gaze, Feng Jinge slowly said, “He’s afraid of you.”

For a brief moment, the air inside the carriage froze.

Xiao Jinghan looked away, picked up the teapot beside him, and poured himself a cup.

After drinking it in one go, he said slowly, “Feng Jinge, since ancient times, no Regent Prince has ever met a good end.”

“I won’t be the exception.”

His final words struck her like a heavy hammer, sending a tremor through her heart.

She stared at him blankly.

That ordinary, unremarkable face remained as cold and emotionless as ever.

So… from the moment he took that position, he already knew his ending?

Feng Jinge frowned.

That didn’t seem right.

It didn’t match Xiao Jinghan’s arrogant, over-the-top persona at all.

Shouldn’t he be snorting coldly and declaring: My fate is mine, not heaven’s?

“Heh…”

Another scoff.

Xiao Jinghan’s mocking voice rang out, “I was just scaring you. And you actually believed it?”

“In this world, no one capable of trampling over me has been born yet.”

“…”

Feng Jinge rolled her eyes and, against her conscience, began praising him.

“For someone as kind-hearted and devoted to the people as Your Highness, you’ll surely live a long life with children and grandchildren.”

Xiao Jinghan sneered. “Leaving aside whether I believe that—do you?”

Feng Jinge nodded vigorously. “Of course I do. I said it, didn’t I?”

Just as she finished speaking, a fragrant aroma drifted in from outside the window.

After staying up all night without even a sip of water, Feng Jinge was starving.

At the smell, her stomach growled loudly.

Her face flushed red in an instant.

Seeing “his own” face suddenly turn crimson, Xiao Jinghan’s lips curved slightly. He raised a hand and pushed the carriage window halfway open.

The bustling cries of street vendors flooded into the carriage.

Ning An, riding behind, noticed the window open and quickly rode up.

“Your Highness, do you have instructions?”

Xiao Jinghan glanced outside. “Tell Qing Shan to pull the carriage over.”

“Yes.”

Not long after, the swaying carriage came to a steady stop. A cold female voice sounded inside:

“Get down.”

A luxurious carriage stopping in the middle of a busy street instantly drew countless gazes.

As people wondered about the identity of its owner, the curtain lifted—and a young woman in a blue dress stepped out.

But upon seeing her plain, slightly sallow face, a trace of disappointment appeared on many faces.

Then the curtain lifted again.

A tall figure and a face as handsome as a celestial being appeared before them.

“It’s the Regent Prince!”

“The Regent Prince?!”

Someone shouted.

The crowd froze, exchanging bewildered looks.

Feng Jinge was stunned too—she hadn’t expected to be recognized just for stepping out to eat breakfast.

Once the crowd came to their senses, they hurriedly knelt.

“This commoner greets the Regent Prince!”

In the blink of an eye, people were kneeling everywhere.

Feng Jinge inwardly wanted to cry.

If she’d known, she would’ve just endured it and eaten back at Xiao Jinghan’s residence.

All this fuss… just for breakfast?!

Complaints aside, she coldly uttered, “Rise.”

Feng Jinge stepped down from the carriage and, together with Xiao Jinghan and Ning An, entered a restaurant.

Going into a restaurant this early—was that really appropriate?

The moment she stepped inside, she realized how little she knew.

The main hall was packed to the brim—every seat filled.

As soon as the three entered, a waiter hurried forward to greet them.