Yet the stern-faced man paid her no heed, steadily carrying the person toward the carriage with measured steps.
Chu Yixin, quick to perceive the situation, hurried forward a few steps and lifted the carriage curtain with an ingratiating smile. “My lord, do be careful.”
This was the first time His Lordship had ever carried a young woman into a carriage!
With the first time happening, could the second be far behind?
Her Ladyship in heaven may finally rest in peace!
Qi Fan shot him a cold glance, his displeasure evident, causing the latter to immediately wipe the smile off his face.
He was indeed displeased, but this displeasure wasn’t directed at others—it was directed at himself.
It was merely a momentary loss of balance, yet he…
As Jiang Zhuoying was set down, the moment her bottom touched the seat, she sprang up abruptly.
The young woman’s face was full of overwhelmed gratitude, her voice trembling with fear. “This humble maid thanks Your Highness.”
Qi Fan gave her a deep look before turning to sit down, his robes sweeping aside. “Were you driven out of the residence by Jiang Zheng’s daughter?”
Jiang Zhuoying froze momentarily before quickly nodding.
Her voice was faint, as if she found it difficult to speak of the matter yet had no choice but to admit it. “Yes.”
“Why were you driven out?”
The man’s dark eyes fixed intently on her. “Pei Yun only just returned you yesterday.”
Jiang Zhuoying’s heart raced wildly. This was it—this was the opportunity she needed to seize!
She had to take this chance to clear up his misunderstanding, and preferably make him feel some guilt toward her.
The more excited she felt inside, the more composed she needed to appear outwardly—this was what her father had taught her.
Somehow, though she had stopped crying earlier, tears now welled up in the young woman’s eyes again. Her clear gaze showed traces of grievance, and a blush rose to her cheeks.
Qi Fan watched her calmly, waiting with composure.
“I… this humble maid…”
Jiang Zhuoying stammered and hesitated before suddenly dropping to her knees.
“Please forgive this offense, Your Highness!”
The man narrowed his eyes slightly. “How can I forgive you if you don’t speak?”
The young woman knelt beside the carriage, head bowed low, revealing her slender, pale neck.
Her thin frame trembled slightly, as if she had taken a long, steadying breath before she finally spoke slowly.
“This humble maid… was originally sent by the young mistress to… to seduce Your Highness…”
The man’s expression remained cold as his gaze lowered. With her face buried, he could only vaguely make out her pointed chin.
“Continue.”
Jiang Zhuoying: “?”
She raised her captivating peach-blossom eyes, murmuring softly, “Your Highness?”
“Continue what you were saying just now.”
His gaze toward her held more scrutiny now.
Too timid, and lacking in cleverness.
Jiang Zhuoying had no idea she had received such an evaluation in the Second Prince’s mind.
She lowered her eyes, remained silent for a moment, then continued, “But how would this humble maid dare to engage in such… such activities before Your Highness?”
“This humble maid originally planned to find some excuse to linger in Your Highness’s residence for a few more days, then report back to the young mistress that this maid had failed in the task…”
“But perhaps this maid was truly too useless and angered the young mistress, so she drove me out of the residence.”
After speaking, Jiang Zhuoying bent forward, her petite, soft form shrinking against the floor as she quietly awaited the man’s judgment.
Qi Fan glanced sideways out the carriage window where Chu Yixin stood by the roadside, occasionally casting glances toward the carriage.
“You said just now that you didn’t dare to seduce me?”
His clear, cold voice filled the narrow carriage, sending an inexplicable chill down Jiang Zhuoying’s spine.
She gave a slight nod. “Your Highness is most discerning. Though my lady once entertained such thoughts, this humble maid truly dares not.”
Dares not?
Qi Fan glanced out the window again, this time meeting Chu Yixin’s curious gaze directly.
The latter hurriedly averted her eyes, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.
His gaze shifted to the slender back. “Then why did Jiang Zheng’s daughter send someone to seduce me?”
“This…”
The young maid on the floor immediately began sobbing again. “This humble maid… this humble maid doesn’t know either… How could a lowly servant like me possibly fathom my lady’s thoughts?”
“Please forgive me, Your Highness. Please have mercy.”
Qi Fan watched the trembling figure on the floor with detached eyes. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke. “Rise.”
Jiang Zhuoying lifted her pitiful gaze to him. “C-can I really?”
The man suddenly offered a cold smile. “If you cannot understand the command, you may continue kneeling there indefinitely.”
Jiang Zhuoying’s throat constricted.
A surge of anger flared within her—she truly wanted to stand up and kick him!
Hadn’t the misunderstanding been cleared up?
Earlier he suspected she was specifically sent to seduce him, but she had played along and explained she was forced into it.
With her striking beauty, her pitiable demeanor, and her behavior tailored to his preferences, couldn’t he even grant her a kind expression?
Suppressing her discontent, the young maiden tremblingly rose to her feet and offered a curtsey. “This humble maid thanks Your Highness for your consideration.”
After speaking, she cautiously took a seat at the side, perching only on the very edge. Her slender back remained straight, her posture impeccably upright, her pale swan neck particularly prominent.
The carriage fell into silence from that moment onward. Jiang Zhuoying sat properly for a while, her thoughts entirely occupied with Xiangyue.
If Pei Yun caught Xiangyue and brought her back, all her efforts would truly be wasted.
She waited with bated breath for what felt like an eternity, until the sound of galloping hooves came from outside the carriage.
Pei Yun rode directly up to the carriage window, right behind where Jiang Zhuoying sat.
“Neigh~” The horse’s panting breath blew directly against the back of her neck, accompanied by a wave of heat.
Startled, Jiang Zhuoying lost her composure and shot to her feet, instinctively trying to retreat.
But with a massive pottery vat in front of her, she could only move sideways.
In her frantic haste, her left foot tangled with her right, and the next moment she uncontrollably tumbled sideways.
“Ah—!”
Even the horse beneath Pei Yun widened its eyes in surprise!
In the blink of an eye, how had the petite young maiden ended up falling right into His Highness’s embrace?
Pei Yun remained frozen in his saluting posture, momentarily speechless.
Beneath her was a warm sensation, while the heavy scent of agarwood filled her nostrils.
Terrified, Jiang Zhuoying hurriedly tried to extricate herself from Qi Fan’s embrace.
“Y-Your Highness, please forgive me! I didn’t mean to!”
In her panic, she even forgot to refer to herself as ‘this humble maid.’
Her hands scrambled for support, groping blindly…
“If you continue touching me, it will be difficult to believe this wasn’t intentional.”
A cold voice sounded above her head. Jiang Zhuoying froze completely, then abruptly raised both hands. “Th-this humble maid didn’t.”
Qi Fan: “…”
Jiang Zhuoying only felt a tightening around her waist, then a blur before her eyes, and the next moment she found herself seated beside the man.
The hard wooden planks were once again beneath her.
She lowered her gaze, her ears flushed crimson: “Your Highness, please forgive me, this servant truly slipped accidentally…”
Her soft voice grew increasingly faint.
Even she found her own words barely credible. She had just claimed she had no intention of seduction, yet in the blink of an eye, she had ended up sitting in his lap…
“What happened?”
“I—” Jiang Zhuoying had barely uttered a single word when she heard Pei Yun’s resolute report.
“This subordinate pursued with all effort, but the woman had already vanished without a trace. Thus, I failed to retrieve Miss Jiang’s bundle. I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness.”
Jiang Zhuoying immediately breathed a sigh of relief, finally finding a moment to observe the scene outside the window.
Pei Yun sat astride his horse, reporting to the Second Prince with a solemn expression.
But… why were his ears slightly flushed?
Jiang Zhuoying slightly furrowed her willow-leaf eyebrows, studying him carefully. Servant Pei was known for his reserved and aloof nature.
Those flushed ears seemed rather peculiar.
“What are you looking at?” The icy voice above her made Jiang Zhuoying tremble all over.
She abruptly looked up, meeting those pitch-black eyes.
Though the tone held no particular inflection, it inexplicably sent chills down her spine.
Jiang Zhuoying: “…”
Feeling guilty, she couldn’t possibly admit she’d been staring at Servant Pei’s red ears?
Or that she suspected his report might be questionable?
“Ahem, this servant… this servant was momentarily distracted. I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness.”
The man pressed his lips together. Outside the window, not only was Pei Yun present, but Chu Yixin had also approached.
Quickly grasping the situation, Chu Yixin coughed lightly twice to defuse the tension: “Your Highness, since Miss Jiang has lost her bundle, should we still escort her to Luo Jing?”
At these words, all three turned their gazes toward her.
Jiang Zhuoying: “…”
She twisted her fair fingertips: “This servant… since I’ve lost my handkerchief, there would be nothing for me to do in Luo Jing even if I went.”
“Might Your Highness be willing to temporarily shelter this servant for a few days?”
“To express my gratitude, this servant is willing to serve as Your Highness’s personal maid!”
By becoming his personal maid, she could stay by the Second Prince’s side every day, thus increasing her chances of hearing the information she sought.
Though she had spoken her proposal, the man beside her remained silent for a long while.
Jiang Zhuoying began to feel uncertain again. Hadn’t he just offered to let her stay at his residence himself?
Had he changed his mind already?
Could only he make such offers, while she wasn’t permitted to ask?
Thus, the others witnessed the girl—who looked utterly unlike a maid—speak again in a soft, delicate voice: “Didn’t Your Highness just say this servant could stay temporarily?”
Her words made the other two turn their attention back to their master.
Qi Fan’s expression remained unchanged, but the ice in his eyes deepened.
Through the girl’s hopeful gaze, he seemed to see the ties he had torn apart, and the girl sobbing against his chest.
He slightly lowered his eyes: “Mm.”
That single syllable finally granted Jiang Zhuoying her wish.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Jiang Zhuoying rose to bow again, then resumed her seat at the side of the carriage.
After all, she was merely a maid now. Sitting too close to the Second Prince would be improper.
With Pei Yun’s return, the procession continued toward the Second Prince’s separate residence.
Throughout the journey, Jiang Zhuoying found no further opportunity to speak with the man. She took advantage of this to feign sleep and conserve her energy.
The long walk earlier had left her back aching and legs sore.
In her drowsy state, the carriage halted. From Pei Yun’s report outside, they had arrived at their destination.
Jiang Zhuoying rose first and immediately lifted the carriage curtain.
As soon as she peeked out, she met Pei Yun’s astonished gaze outside.
Jiang Zhuoying: “?”
“Ahem, ahem…” Chu Yixin inside the carriage began coughing immediately.
Jiang Zhuoying’s movements suddenly halted…
Oh no. In her current position as a maid, how could she step out of the carriage before her master?
It had become a habit. After sitting in the carriage for so long, feeling dizzy and muddle-headed, she had momentarily forgotten this detail.
“Cough… ugh…”
Jiang Zhuoying lowered the curtain and retreated back into the carriage: “Your Highness, this humble maid was feeling unwell. I lifted the curtain first to avoid disturbing you.”
“I beg Your Highness for forgiveness.”
The young girl’s face was pale, her shoulders slender and waist slim, her figure already extremely frail.
Due to her flustered movements earlier, her sleeves were slightly wrinkled, revealing whip marks on her wrists.
Qi Fan frowned but said nothing, directly brushing past her to exit the carriage.
Chu Yixin followed behind the man, simultaneously giving her a meaningful look.
Jiang Zhuoying nodded and followed them out.
They proceeded smoothly until the moment the man stepped into the study, when the Second Prince suddenly turned around.
“I don’t need maids around me.”
Jiang Zhuoying: “?”
The young girl abruptly looked up, her eyes filled with panic.
Was he… going back on his word?
Chu Yixin was also startled, but he quickly collected himself and nodded repeatedly: “Understood. Shall this servant make arrangements to temporarily assign Miss Jiang some other work?”
“As you wish.”
The Second Prince flicked his sleeves and strode directly into the study, leaving only Jiang Zhuoying and Chu Yixin outside the door.
The young girl looked anxious and tentatively asked: “Eunuch Chu, what does His Highness mean by this?”
Chu Yixin sighed inwardly in regret. They had finally encountered such a suitable girl, yet she was already betrothed.
No matter what, their master couldn’t possibly play the villain, could he?
He merely forced a slight smile: “The master dislikes having maids attend to him. Miss Jiang need not overthink it.”
“Oh, I see.”
Jiang Zhuoying nodded. Though she appeared calm on the surface, she was already brewing new schemes in her heart.
Doesn’t like having maids serve him?
Then she just needs to make him like it, doesn’t she?
Author’s Note:
Ying Bao: Really don’t like it?
Qi Dog: …
Next chapter will be VIP~ Sending big love [heart][heart][heart] to all precious readers supporting the official version!
Doing my best to list potential triggers here. Everyone has different sensitivities, so dear readers, if you notice anything uncomfortable, feel free to retreat in time:
The female lead puts on quite an act around the male lead, sometimes overdoing it a bit, but the male lead is already too deeply involved and completely mesmerized.
As usual, there will be no malicious female rivals in the romantic storyline between the main characters.
This is not a powerful female lead revenge story.
The female lead is slow to recognize her feelings, which means the romantic development mainly involves the male lead suffering, but overall it’s still a sweet story!!!
(To be continued…)
Check out my upcoming novel “Did the Little Princess Run Away Again Today” in my works list!
Ji Chenxi, the only little princess of Fan Guo, possessed a purity like crystal glass. Since childhood, she had been lovely as jade and snow, growing up with starry eyes and smiling dimples, her beauty ethereal and extraordinary.
The only imperfection was her delicate health – she would fall ill from heat, from cold, even from being upset.
Her first time leaving the palace was to visit the Second Prince’s newly built residence, but she fainted and woke up in the hands of a fierce-looking stranger.
Ever since learning that this outwardly cold and formidable man was Li Guo’s current Zhongyong Hou, the military general stationed at Duxi on the border between Li Guo and Fan Guo…
Ji Chenxi never ceased plotting her escape.
First attempt: She slunk back in defeat after forgetting she had no money.
Second attempt: She returned shamefacedly upon discovering she needed a travel pass to leave the city.
Third attempt: Having finally obtained both money and travel documents, she was personally captured by Pei Yuanche right at the city gates.
Frustrated and furious, she fell gravely ill. Upon waking, she accidentally uncovered news of a deep-lying spy within the court.
As Fan Guo’s only princess, she naturally had to stay and get to the bottom of this.
Since coming of age, Pei Yuanche had been haunted by a recurring dream where he was an ordinary guard at Kanggong Guofu, daily subjected to humiliation by the Kang Duke’s eldest daughter.
The young girl in his dream possessed an exquisite oval face with snow-pure skin and flower-like complexion – devastatingly beautiful, yet she tormented him with relentless cruelty.
Then one day.
He saw that very face, even the crimson mole on her palm was identical…
A dancing girl sent by Fan Guo?
The man’s expression remained stern, but before he could utter a single harsh word, this porcelain-like creature fell ill…
Pei Yuanche had always lived in military camps alongside his soldiers, disdaining luxury. His marquis residence had fallen into disrepair over the years, with few servants.
But since this delicate girl appeared by his side—
The main chamber gained various gauze curtains and beaded screens, the floor tiles were covered with thick, fragrant carpets, the meditation bed was replaced by an intricately carved four-poster bed, the household gained matrons and maidservants, and the courtyard blossomed with various flowers and plants…
The man stood at the entrance, gazing at the completely renewed residence, remaining silent for a long time.
With a darkened expression, he ordered the dismissal of all servants and the restoration of the residence to its original state.
Later…
“Didn’t you complain about difficulty sleeping at night? This jade pillow warms upon contact and contains medicinal herbs to aid your rest.”
Pei Yuanche’s eyes remained fixed on the delicate face before him, his rough fingertips gently stroking.
Too delicate—she needed careful nurturing.
He nurtured her until one day, the young girl went out to enjoy opera performances and never returned.
…
When they met again, he had become the Emperor of Li Guo.
In the golden throne hall, with Fan Guo’s border in crisis, Ji Chenxi arrived with Fan Guo’s envoys seeking assistance.
“Bandits run rampant, Fan Guo’s people suffer in dire straits. With urgent military affairs, we humbly request Li Guo to dispatch troops.”
After persuading his court ministers, Pei Yuanche visited the embassy that night.
“I can grant your request, but I want you in return.”