It was getting dark.
In the small courtyard of the Jiang residence, Zhiyuan sat under the eaves near the window. A strand of hair was blown away by the cold wind and slid across her cold face. Her eyes inadvertently fell on the willow tree in the courtyard, whose slender waist was bent by the wind.
Last night, a cold wind blew fiercely for most of the night, leaving the trees in the courtyard in a state of disarray. After the servants cleaned up during the day, the trees in the courtyard had mostly recovered, but they still looked listless and withered.
Lin Qingqing was dressed in a green suit, looking neat and tidy, with a strange look between her eyebrows. She was standing aside, saying something with her head down.
"When His Highness returned just now, he ran into Chen Changqing, the leader of the Secret Heaven Division, outside the door. I don't know if this person is a friend or foe, but His Highness seems to think highly of him..."
"Chen Changqing?"
Zhiyuan raised her eyes slightly, looking as if she was thinking about something.
"Have you checked this person?"
"Your Highness has ordered your subordinates to investigate. This person is indeed not simple..."
Lin Qingqing slowly told Chen Changqing's background and identity.
After hearing this, Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, then nodded lightly: "I understand."
Lin Qingqing nodded, and when she was about to leave, she thought of something and hesitated: "Then, His Highness..."
She looked a little worried. "The prince once instructed that the Lin Palace would never interfere with the affairs of the imperial court in the capital. Now that Your Highness intends to interfere in the Third Prince's fight for the throne, will this put Your Highness in a passive position and harm both Your Highness and the Lin Palace?"
Zhiyuan glanced at her and asked, "Have you asked His Highness?"
"I have raised objections, but Your Highness has not taken them seriously. I am worried..."
Zhiyuan interrupted him calmly: "Since His Highness has made up his mind, let him do as he pleases."
Having said this, Zhiyuan paused again and said, "He is the Prince of Lin, and also your master. In the future, you don't need to report these matters to me. As for His Highness's choice and decision, you can just follow it."
When Lin Qingqing heard this, she looked up in surprise, as if she realized something, and was shocked: "Sister Zhiyuan, you, could it be that..."
"Um?"
The kite looked at her.
Lin Qingqing looked a little nervous, "Sister Zhiyuan, are you leaving again?"
"Why do you say that?"
Lin Qingqing's eyes were complicated and a little worried: "What you said is exactly the same as when you were about to leave the Lin Palace last time..."
Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, then said, "You are the Crown Prince's personal soldiers, an elite force carefully selected by the prince for His Highness. Now that His Highness has the ability to stand on his own, it is naturally time to hand you over to His Highness."
"What about you, Sister Zhiyuan?"
Lin Qingqing asked nervously, she was worried that Sister Zhiyuan would decide to leave again like last time.
While His Highness is now capable of standing on his own, he is still too young. The capital is unlike Linzhou; it's extremely dangerous, and the consequences of a single misstep could be disastrous. His Highness might not be able to defeat those old men alone; he still needs Sister Zhiyuan's assistance.
"I?"
Zhiyuan was silent for a moment, lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then shook his head gently: "Don't worry, I won't leave for the time being."
"temporary?"
"Who knows what will happen in the future?"
Zhiyuan said calmly: "You go down first."
"yes."
Although Lin Qingqing still had doubts in her heart, she did not ask any more questions. She nodded, turned around and left.
After Lin Qingqing left, the courtyard became deserted again.
It was already dark, the distant horizon a pitch black, punctuated by the occasional twinkle of stars. Inside the courtyard, a cold wind swept through again, rustling the trees. Having just endured the ravages of last night, the trees seemed to be straining under the weight and swaying.
Zhiyuan stared for a while, and suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye.
She turned her head and saw a side door not far away. In the dim light, a petite figure was tiptoeing in, seemingly holding something in her arms.
"Xiaozhu?"
Xiaozhu, who had just approached the courtyard, was startled when she suddenly heard someone calling her.
"Sister Paper Kite?!"
Xiao Zhu looked up and saw Zhiyuan appearing under the eaves, looking at her quietly.
"Where did you go?"
Zhiyuan saw Xiaozhu looking sneaky and asked, "What are you holding in your arms?"
I saw Xiao Zhu with a 'sneaky' look on his face, holding something in his arms. However, it was getting dark, and Xiao Zhu was holding something in his arms, so I couldn't see it clearly.
"ah?"
A hint of panic flashed across Xiao Zhu's face, and then she whispered, "I, I just went to the backyard to collect clothes and bedding..."
"Here, these are the clothes I washed for Your Highness today. I was just about to take them back and dry them for Your Highness..."
As Xiao Zhu spoke, his voice became smaller and smaller, and his tone became more and more guilty and flustered.
However, Zhiyuan didn't hear it clearly.
When he heard that it was clothes to be washed for Lin Jiangnian, he didn't doubt it too much. He just thought Xiao Zhu was a little strange, but he didn't take it too seriously. He nodded slightly and said, "Go."
"yes."
Xiao Zhu breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He lowered his head and quickly returned to the room with the clothes in his arms.
After returning to the room, Xiao Zhu carefully locked the door and walked to the table with the package in her arms. She put it down and carefully opened the package.
Soon, a bright red dress appeared from the package.
Extremely dazzling.
Xiao Zhu looked at the red dress in the package, with a little confusion on her face.
If nothing unexpected happens, the owner of this long dress must be the woman who was carried back to the room by His Highness last night and bullied all night long.
This morning, when she was helping His Highness clean up his room, she discovered this long dress. While helping His Highness "destroy the body", she also washed the red dress.
At first, Xiao Zhu didn't take it seriously. After washing the quilt and red skirt, she hung them in the backyard. It wasn't until another maid in the mansion suddenly asked about it not long ago that Xiao Zhu felt something was wrong and became alert.
This red dress is too dazzling, and no one in the mansion wears it like this.
Although the servants of the Jiang Mansion didn't have a uniform, no one would wear something so conspicuous, and Sister Zhiyuan never wore red. This was too obvious!
What if Sister Zhiyuan finds out and asks about it...wouldn't it be revealed?
Realizing this, Xiao Zhu immediately hurried back to the backyard, quietly put away the red skirt, and prepared to hide it in the room.
Unexpectedly, I was caught by Sister Zhiyuan and was almost exposed.
If Sister Zhiyuan finds out about this, it will be a disaster!
Thinking of this, Xiao Zhu showed a bit of fear on her face and patted her slightly raised chest.
"It's too dangerous... Hehe, Your Highness must thank me well this time!"
Xiao Zhu hummed softly, feeling a little proud.
She stood up, picked up the red skirt, spread it out next to the stove, prepared to dry it, put it away, and then return to deliver it to His Highness.
Xiao Zhu spread out the red skirt, looked at it for a few seconds, and blinked as if she thought of something.
She looked at the red dress, then looked down at herself.
After a while, blink again.
"This sister in red..."
Seems a lot older than her?
…
When Lin Jiangnian returned to Jiang Mansion, it was already completely dark.
Jiang's father was busy with government affairs and had not yet returned. Jiang's mother called Lin Jiangnian over and greeted him with concern.
Jiang's mother had heard about all the recent events in the capital and was extremely worried. After hearing Lin Jiangnian's assurance that everything was fine, she finally felt relieved. She then urged Lin Jiangnian to be careful in the capital and asked about his engagement with the eldest princess.
Lin Jiangnian did not tell Jiang's mother about his plan to cancel the engagement. In addition, the Jiang family had been preparing the betrothal gifts and planning to go to the palace to meet His Majesty. Jiang's mother was very concerned about this. After Lin Jiangnian gave a brief explanation, he returned to the courtyard.
"Your Highness!"
Xiao Zhu, who had been waiting in the yard for a long time, trotted forward, tilted her little face up, her cheeks rosy, and looked very happy.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Jiangnian pinched Xiao Zhu's delicate face and said with a smile, "What are you so happy about?"
"No, no!"
Xiaozhu blushed.
"I haven't seen you for a day. Do you miss Your Highness?"
Lin Jiangnian asked with a smile.
Xiao Zhu's face turned even redder. She lowered her head a little embarrassedly and said softly, "I want to..."
"How much do you want it?"
“…”
Xiao Zhu was speechless. She couldn't describe how much she missed him.
I hesitated for a long time, not knowing how to describe it.
"Okay, go prepare some hot water for His Highness!"
Lin Jiangnian didn't make things difficult for Xiaozhu and touched her little head.
Xiao Zhu lowered his head and muttered, "The hot water is ready!"
Lin Jiangnian was startled, looking down at the cute and well-behaved Xiaozhu. Suddenly, he walked forward, picked Xiaozhu up by the waist, and strode towards the bathroom: "That's great. Let's go and help His Highness rub his back today!"
Xiao Zhu's mind went blank at first, but when he came to his senses, his face turned red instantly and he began to struggle.
"Your Highness, no, don't..."
"Yes, Sister Zhiyuan will find out..."
“…”
After taking a bath and changing his clothes, Lin Jiangnian felt refreshed and came to the courtyard next door.
The courtyard next door was very deserted. Apart from the only light on in the room under the eaves not far away, there was no movement.
Zhiyuan likes quietness and doesn't like crowds, and she has no maids around her.
At the Lin Palace, she had been Lin Jiangnian's personal maid. But at the Jiang Palace, Mother Jiang treated her like her own daughter. Zhiyuan's treatment at the Jiang Palace was no less than that of the Lin Prince.
Lin Jiangnian came to the door of Zhiyuan's room and knocked: "Zhiyuan, are you there?"
Although he had confirmed from the maid outside the courtyard that Zhiyuan was in the room, Lin Jiangnian still knocked on the door first to be on the safe side.
The lessons from the previous two times are still fresh in my mind.
But I dare not do it a third time.
The first two times can be explained as unintentional, but if it happens a third time, even if it is unintentional, I am afraid it will be difficult to explain clearly.
"Come in."
The cold voice of the kite came from the room.
Lin Jiangnian finally felt relieved and pushed the door open and walked in.
A cold wind rushed into the room, causing the lights to flicker.
Zhiyuan, wearing a loose light blue long gown, was sitting at the table, head bowed over a book. He was wrapped tightly in a thick coat.
The clothes covered her body, and only half of her pink neck, delicate little chin, and beautiful and pretty face could be seen.
The air was filled with a light floral scent, mixed with incense and the unique scent of the kite. The mixture was very pleasant.
It seemed as if he had just taken a shower and the smell had not yet completely dissipated.
When Lin Jiangnian approached, he could still see Zhiyuan's hair which had not yet completely dried.
"It's so cold, why don't you dry your hair?"
Lin Jiangnian walked up to Zhiyuan and said, "Be careful of catching a cold."
"fine."
Zhiyuan shook his head.
"How can it be okay? Let me help you!"
As Lin Jiangnian spoke, he picked up a towel from the side and gently wiped Zhiyuan's hair.
The movement was very light, and the soft towel slid down the girl's silky black hair. Between the fingers and the nose, there was the fragrance of the girl's body.
Zhiyuan looked a little unnatural, and her face turned slightly red under the light, but she did not stop.
She lowered her eyes for a moment and suddenly asked, "Why are you suddenly being so attentive to me?"
"Is there?"
Lin Jiangnian looked down at her and chuckled, "Is this considered being courteous?"
Zhiyuan turned around and glanced at him: "Did you do anything wrong?"
"What could I possibly do that would be wrong?"
Zhiyuan turned his head and said nothing more.
But as a result, Lin Jiangnian, who was originally open-minded, began to feel a little guilty.
What kind of reaction is this?
Could it be that he knew something?
Lin Jiangnian subconsciously thought of what happened last night...
The fact that he had sex with that demon cult saint last night and fought for three hundred rounds... couldn't it be exposed?
However, the only person who knew what happened last night was Xiaozhu, and Xiaozhu should not betray.
With this thought in mind, Lin Jiangnian quickly calmed down.
Probably not!
If Zhiyuan had known what happened last night, she probably wouldn't have reacted the way she did.
I'm afraid Lin Jiangnian won't be allowed into the room tonight.
Thinking of this, Lin Jiangnian breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking down, he saw Zhiyuan was silent, chuckled, and continued to gently wipe her hair, saying, "I met the eldest princess today!"
"She's really getting anxious, trying to force me to give in..."
"That time outside the capital, she saved me. I promised to repay her in the future, and she's using this to force me to back down!"
"But I rejected it!"
“…”
While helping Zhiyuan wipe her hair, Lin Jiangnian whispered about what happened when he met the eldest princess today.
Of course, the news that the eldest princess had discovered Lin Jiangnian's fake identity was concealed in it.
"She wants to compromise with me and postpone the engagement until the Crown Prince recovers... I suspect she's trying to seize the opportunity to discuss some unspeakable secret..."
After Lin Jiangnian finished speaking, Zhiyuan still didn't say anything.
"Why aren't you talking?"
Lin Jiang asked in a young voice, as if realizing something. He lowered his head and stared at Zhiyuan's pretty face, then asked tentatively, "Are you angry?"
Zhiyuan then raised her eyes and said calmly, "You did the right thing!"
"The situation in the capital is complicated right now, and many people are watching you from behind. Breaking off the engagement may not be a good thing for either you or her."
The kite obviously saw everything clearly.
Delaying the engagement is indeed the best option.
Hearing this, Lin Jiangnian finally breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm glad you're not angry!"
Then, he smiled and said, "I thought you would mind..."
"Who said I don't mind?"
Zhiyuan suddenly spoke.
Lin Jiangnian was startled, and looked down at Zhiyuan's pretty and cold face, with a faint smile on his face: "Zhiyuan, you..."
"You did the right thing!"
Zhiyuan spoke calmly, without any expression on her face: "But I do mind!"
“Very angry too!”
“…”