Chapter 21 The man, who seemed to like her but had a cold expression, ignored her...

The cold-faced man ignored her and steadily carried her toward the carriage.

Chu Yixin quickly jogged forward a few steps, then lifted the carriage curtain and said with a smile, "Sir, please be careful."

This is the first time I've ever carried a young lady onto a carriage!

Once you've had the first time, how far away can the second be?

The Empress's spirit can finally rest in peace!

Qi Fan glanced at him coldly, his eyes filled with displeasure, and the latter immediately stopped smiling.

He was indeed displeased, but this displeasure was not directed at others, but at himself.

He just lost his balance for a moment, but he...

Jiang Zhuoying was put down, and as soon as her bottom touched the seat, she stood up abruptly.

The girl looked flattered and overwhelmed, her voice trembling with fear: "This servant thanks Your Highness."

Qi Fan gave her a deep look, then turned around and sat down, lifting his robe: "Were you driven out of the manor by Jiang Zheng's daughter?"

Jiang Zhuoying was taken aback for a moment, then immediately nodded.

Her voice was weak, as if she found it difficult to say, but she had to admit it: "Yes."

Why were you kicked out of the manor?

The man stared intently at her with his dark eyes: "Pei Yun just took you back yesterday."

Jiang Zhuoying's heart pounded wildly. Here it comes! This is the opportunity she has been waiting for!

She had to take this opportunity to dispel the other person's misunderstanding, and ideally, to feel some guilt towards her.

The more excited she was inside, the more composed she needed to be on the outside; this was something her father had taught her.

For some reason, the girl, who had stopped crying, suddenly had tears welling up in her eyes again, a hint of grievance in her clear eyes, and a blush rising on her cheeks.

Qi Fan remained calm and watched her silently.

"I... this servant..."

Jiang Zhuoying stammered and hesitated, but fortunately she suddenly knelt down on the ground again.

"Please forgive me, Your Highness!"

The man narrowed his eyes slightly: "If you don't tell me, how can I forgive you?"

The girl knelt on the side of the earthenware jar, her head lowered, revealing the back of her neck, which was slender and fair.

His thin frame trembled slightly, as if he had taken a long breath, before he slowly opened his mouth.

"This servant...this servant was sent by Miss to lure, to seduce Your Highness..."

The man's expression was indifferent, and his gaze shifted downwards. The girl had her face buried in her hands, and he could only vaguely see her pointed chin.

"continue."

Jiang Zhuoying: "?"

She raised her captivating peach blossom eyes and murmured softly, "Your Highness?"

“Continue with what you just said.”

The look in his eyes now held a hint of scrutiny.

Being too timid also means lacking intelligence.

Jiang Zhuoying had no idea that she had received such a high regard from the Second Prince.

She lowered her eyes, paused for a moment, and then said, "How could this servant dare to do such a thing in front of Your Highness?"

"This servant had planned to find an excuse to stay at Your Highness's residence for a few more days, and then report back to Miss that this servant had failed to accomplish her goal..."

"Perhaps I was too useless and angered Miss, so she kicked me out of the manor."

After Jiang Zhuoying finished speaking, she bent down, her petite and soft body shrinking to the ground, waiting for the man's judgment.

Qi Fan glanced out the car window and saw Chu Yixin standing by the roadside, glancing towards the car every now and then.

"You just said you wouldn't dare to seduce me?"

A clear, crisp voice filled the cramped carriage, sending a chill down Jiang Zhuoying's spine.

She nodded slightly: "Your Highness is wise. Although my young lady has had such thoughts, this servant truly would not dare to do so."

Don't dare?

Qi Fan glanced out the window again, this time meeting Chu Yixin's curious gaze.

The latter quickly looked away, pretending not to have seen anything.

His gaze shifted to the thin back: "Why did Jiang Zheng's daughter send someone to seduce me?"

"this……"

The girl on the ground began to sob again: "This servant...this servant doesn't know either...How could this servant possibly fathom the thoughts of my mistress?"

"Your Highness, please forgive me, Your Highness, please forgive me."

Qi Fan's gaze was distant as he looked at the trembling body on the ground. He remained silent for a moment before finally speaking: "Get up."

Jiang Zhuoying looked up at him with a pitiful expression and asked, "Is it...okay?"

The man suddenly gave a sinister smile: "If you don't understand, then you'll stay kneeling on this ground forever."

Jiang Zhuoying choked on her words.

A surge of anger welled up inside me, and I really wanted to get up and kick him!

Hasn't this misunderstanding already been cleared up?

Previously, they suspected she had come specifically to seduce him, but now she's playing along, saying she was forced into it.

She is so beautiful and pitiful, and she acts according to his preferred temperament, yet she can't get a kind look from him.

The young woman suppressed her dissatisfaction, stood up shakily, and curtsied again: "This servant thanks Your Highness for your consideration."

After saying that, she carefully sat down on the side seat, only touching the edge, straightening her thin back, sitting upright and proper, her fair swan neck particularly prominent.

The carriage fell silent from that moment on. Jiang Zhuoying sat upright for a while, her mind filled with thoughts of Xiangyue.

If Pei Yun manages to capture Xiang Yue later, then all her previous efforts will have been in vain.

I waited anxiously, not knowing how long, until I heard the sound of galloping hooves outside the carriage.

Pei Yun rode his horse directly to the carriage window, where Jiang Zhuoying was facing away.

"Neigh~" The horse's neighing and panting came right up to the back of her neck, and it also exhaled a puff of hot air.

Jiang Zhuoying was startled and could no longer remain calm. She stood up abruptly and kept trying to dodge.

But there was a huge earthenware jar in front of her, so she could only move to the side.

In her haste and nervousness, she stumbled over her right foot while moving frantically, and in the next instant, she lost control and fell to the side.

"ah--"

Even the horse under Pei Yun's horse widened its eyes in an instant!

In the blink of an eye, how did that petite girl end up in His Highness's arms?

Pei Yun maintained the gesture of cupping his hands, remaining silent for a moment.

A warm sensation was felt beneath my buttocks, and a rich, sandalwood fragrance lingered around my nose.

Jiang Zhuoying was startled and hurriedly tried to get up from Qi Fan's embrace.

"Your Highness, please forgive me, I didn't mean to!"

She was so flustered that she even forgot to refer to herself as a servant.

Jiang Zhuoying fumbled around haphazardly, trying to find a foothold...

"If you keep touching me, I'll find it hard to believe you didn't do it on purpose."

A cold voice rang out above her head, and Jiang Zhuoying froze, suddenly raising both hands: "This servant did not."

Qi Fan: "..."

Jiang Zhuoying felt a tightening around her waist, then her vision blurred, and then she found herself sitting next to the man.

The area beneath my buttocks had returned to its original hard wooden board.

She lowered her eyes, her ears flushed red: "Your Highness, please forgive me, this servant was truly careless for a moment..."

The soft voice grew softer and softer.

She herself didn't quite believe what she was saying; she had just said she had no intention of seducing him, yet in the blink of an eye she was sitting in his lap...

"How is it?"

Jiang Zhuoying had barely uttered the word "slave" when she heard Pei Yun's resounding report.

"I did my best to catch up, but the woman has already disappeared. Therefore, I was unable to help Miss Jiang retrieve her belongings. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

Jiang Zhuoying immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and only then did she have a chance to look out the window.

Pei Yun sat astride his horse, reporting the matter to the Second Prince with a solemn expression.

But... why are his ears a little red?

Jiang Zhuoying frowned slightly as she carefully examined Pei, noting that he was a dull and aloof person.

The ears were unusually red.

"What are you looking at?" The cold voice above her head made Jiang Zhuoying tremble.

She suddenly looked up and met those dark eyes.

The voice was clearly flat and even, yet it inexplicably sent chills down her spine.

Jiang Zhuoying: "..."

Feeling guilty, she couldn't very well admit directly that she was looking at Guard Pei's red ears.

They also suspected that there was something strange about his report just now.

"Ahem, Your Highness, I was just lost in thought. Please forgive me."

The man pursed his lips. At this moment, not only Pei Yun was outside the window, but Chu Yixin had also come closer.

He quickly grasped the situation and coughed twice to defuse the awkwardness: "Your Highness, now that Miss Jiang's belongings are gone, should we still send her to Luoyang?"

Upon hearing this, all three of them looked at her.

Jiang Zhuoying: "..."

She twirled her fair fingertips: "This servant...this servant has no handkerchiefs left, so even if I go to Luoyang, I'll have nothing to do."

"I wonder if Your Highness could take me in for a few days?"

"To express my gratitude to Your Highness, this servant is willing to serve as your personal maid!"

By becoming the personal maid, she could stay by the Second Prince's side every day, which would increase her chances of hearing news.

She had already spoken, but the man beside her remained silent.

Jiang Zhuoying was a little unsure again. Didn't he just offer to let her stay at his residence?

Could it be that they've changed their minds again?

It can only be him who takes the initiative, but not her?

Then, the group noticed the maid, who didn't look like a maid at all, speaking softly and weakly: "Didn't Your Highness just say that this servant could stay temporarily?"

Upon hearing this, the other two looked at their master.

Qi Fan's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes grew even colder.

Through the girl's expectant gaze, he seemed to see the ribbon he had torn off, and the girl sobbing against his chest.

He lowered his gaze slightly and said, "Hmm."

With just one word, Jiang Zhuoying finally got what she wanted.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Jiang Zhuoying stood up again, bowed, and then sat back down on the side of the carriage.

After all, she is just a maid now, and it would be unreasonable for her to sit next to the Second Prince.

Now that Pei Yun had returned, the caravan continued its journey toward the Second Prince's villa.

Along the way, Jiang Zhuoying did not find another opportunity to speak with a man, and she took the opportunity to pretend to sleep and recharge.

She had walked quite a distance, and her back and legs were really sore.

In a daze, the carriage stopped, and Pei Yun outside reported that they had arrived at their destination.

Jiang Zhuoying got up first and immediately lifted the carriage curtain.

As soon as he peeked out, he saw Pei Yun's astonished gaze outside.

Jiang Zhuoying: "?"

"Cough cough cough." Chu Yixin, who was inside the car, also started coughing.

Jiang Zhuoying suddenly stopped...

Oh no! As a maid, how could she get off the carriage before her master?

She was used to it; after sitting in the carriage for a while, she was dizzy and lightheaded, and for a moment she had forgotten about it.

"Cough cough... vomit..."

Jiang Zhuoying lowered the carriage curtain and stepped back into the carriage: "Your Highness, I am not feeling well. I did not want to disturb you, so I lifted the curtain first."

"I hope Your Highness will forgive me."

The girl was pale, with slender shoulders and a thin waist; her figure was extremely frail.

Because of his flustered movements just now, his sleeves were slightly wrinkled, revealing the whip marks on his wrists.

Qi Fan frowned, said nothing, and walked past her out of the carriage.

Chu Yixin followed behind the man, giving her a wink as she did so.

Jiang Zhuoying nodded and followed.

The journey was smooth until the man stepped into the study, at which point the Second Prince suddenly turned around.

"I don't need maids by my side."

Jiang Zhuoying: "?"

The girl suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with panic.

Is this... a change of heart?

Chu Yixin was also taken aback, but he quickly recovered and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, then this servant will take the initiative to arrange a job for Miss Jiang for the time being?"

"what ever."

The second prince turned and strode into the study, leaving Jiang Zhuoying and Chu Yixin outside the door.

The young girl looked uneasy and tentatively asked, "Eunuch Chu, what is Your Highness's intention?"

Chu Yixin sighed inwardly, feeling it was a pity. He had finally met such a girl, but she was already engaged.

Their master can't be the villain, can he?

He simply smiled and said, "My master doesn't like having maids serving him, so Miss Jiang doesn't need to worry about it."

"Oh, I see."

Jiang Zhuoying nodded, pretending to be calm on the surface, but she had already started to make new plans in her heart.

Do you dislike having maids serving you?

Then just let him like it, right?

A note from the author:

----------------------

Yingbao: You really don't like it?

Qi Gou: ...

The next chapter will be available for purchase! A huge thank you to all the readers who support the official version! [heart][heart][heart]

Let's try to clear out any potential issues here. Everyone has different triggers, so if you notice anything amiss, feel free to back off immediately.

1. The female lead loves to put on an act in front of the male lead, sometimes a bit too much, but the male lead is already blinded by love and completely infatuated.

2. As always, there will be no vicious female supporting character in the main couple's romantic storyline.

3. Not a female-centric wish-fulfillment novel.

4. The female lead matures late, which means the male lead suffers most of the romantic storyline, but overall it's still a sweet romance!

5. (To be added...)

You can pre-order this column by clicking here: "Did the Little Princess Run Away Again Today?"

Ji Chenxi, the only princess of Fan Kingdom, is pure and lovely like crystal. She was born with a beautiful face and grew up with bright eyes and a beautiful appearance.

The only downside is that she is physically weak; she gets sick easily when she is too hot or too cold, or when she gets angry.

The first time she left the palace was to see her second brother's newly built mansion, but when she fainted and woke up, she found herself in the hands of a "fierce and evil" stranger.

Knowing that this seemingly cold and fierce man was the current Marquis of Zhongyong of Li Kingdom, and the General Duxi who led the army stationed on the border between Li Kingdom and Dafan...

Ji Chenyuan never stopped plotting her escape.

Chapter 1: He returned home dejectedly because he had forgotten that he had no money.

Chapter Two: Unaware that a travel permit was required to leave the city, they returned in disgrace.

Chapter 3: She finally obtained the silver and travel permit, but was captured by Pei Yuanche himself as she was leaving the city.

She was both anxious and angry, and fell seriously ill. When she woke up, she inadvertently learned that a spy was hiding deep in the court.

As the only princess of Da Fan, she naturally had to stay and find out the truth.

*

Since Pei Cheyuan came of age, he has had a recurring dream in which he is an ordinary guard in the Kangguo Duke's mansion, and is bullied by the eldest daughter of the Kangguo Duke every day.

The little girl in his dream had a delicate oval face with fair skin and delicate features, so beautiful it was breathtaking, yet she did everything she could to humiliate and make things difficult for him.

One day...

He saw this face; even the red mole on the palm of his hand was exactly the same…

The dancers sent by Da Fan?

The man's face was stern, but before he could utter a single harsh word, this delicate, glass-like girl fell ill...

Pei Cheyuan has always lived in the military camp with his soldiers and dislikes luxury. His mansion has been in disrepair for many years and has few servants.

But ever since this glass-like little girl came into my life—

The main house now features various gauze curtains and beaded drapes, the floor tiles are covered with thick, fragrant carpets, the daybed has been replaced with an elaborately carved canopy bed, the mansion has more old women and maids, and the courtyard is planted with all sorts of flowers and plants...

The man stood at the door, looking at the newly renovated mansion, and remained silent for a long time.

With a stern face, he ordered the dismissal of all the servants in the mansion and instructed people to restore the mansion to its original state.

later……

"Don't you find it hard to fall asleep at night? This jade pillow warms to the touch and contains medicinal herbs to help you sleep peacefully."

Pei Cheyuan's eyes were fixed on the beautiful face before him, his rough fingertips stroking her skin.

She's too pampered; she needs to be taken good care of.

As they raised her, one day the little girl went out to see a play, but never came back.

...

When they met again, he was already the emperor of the Li Kingdom.

In the Golden Palace, the border of the Fan Kingdom was in dire need of help, and Ji Chenxi and the Fan Kingdom's envoy came to request assistance.

"The bandits are wreaking havoc, and the people of Fan are suffering as if they were drowning in boiling water. Now the military situation is critical, and we earnestly request the Li Kingdom to send troops."

Pei Cheyuan persuaded the court officials and came to the post station that night.

"I may grant your request, but I want you."