Chapter 46 Pleading for Mercy Jiang Zhuoying quickly sized him up before she began…

Jiang Zhuoying quickly looked him over before speaking, "I'm here to be on duty."

Given her status, it wasn't appropriate for her to ask too many questions about why Eunuch Chu was kneeling there.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yixin's face was full of disapproval. He was about to try to persuade her, but the young girl in front of him made a gesture to silence him.

She lowered her voice: "Don't worry, Eunuch Chu."

Nodding to him, Jiang Zhuoying lifted her skirt and stepped across the threshold.

He didn't say what he wanted to put his mind at ease, but Chu Yixin behind him said with concern, "Jiang girl, you mustn't anger the master for our sake."

Jiang Zhuoying turned to him and smiled, "I understand."

She certainly wouldn't risk her life for Eunuch Chu, but everything requires a sense of proportion.

According to her plan, she would first play the victim when she went in, and then flatter someone.

Then, the question naturally arises: "What's wrong with Eunuch Chu?"

The other party will likely respond accordingly.

...

The girl's footsteps were different from others; before she even arrived, Qi Fan had already put down his book and looked up at her.

The little girl walked slowly, and her steps were heavier than those of a martial arts practitioner.

When the light green skirt finally came into view, his gaze softened slightly.

How did you get here?

The man remained silent for a long time, his voice becoming hoarse.

Jiang Zhuoying's face was already sickly pale, and she was gently biting her lip. Her originally flamboyant and charming peach blossom eyes now held a timid look...

Qi Fan's gaze slowly moved upwards until he saw her face.

The man's brows furrowed slightly, and his cool demeanor suddenly turned into displeasure.

Jiang Zhuoying wasn't unaware of the change in his expression; what she was thinking was—

Am I not weak and pitiful enough?

The girl frowned again: "Ouch...it hurts~"

Qi Fan's expression darkened further. He strode forward, his cold eyes sweeping over the petite girl in front of him: "Your injuries haven't healed yet, what are you running around for?"

Jiang Zhuoying timidly raised her eyes, looking even more pitiful and helpless, her voice soft and weak: "I'm worried..."

The man's tone stiffened slightly: "Worried?"

The girl spoke slowly, her voice soft and gentle: "Last night, my brother, the Second Prince, promised me that he would not ignore me in the future."

"But I'm afraid that's because I was injured at the time, and they said it to comfort me."

She looked at the man's face, but saw that it hadn't improved at all.

The girl continued, "So the first thing I did when I opened my eyes today was to rush to my shift, of course, to make sure." She paused abruptly at this point.

"What do you want to confirm?"

As expected, I heard the question.

"Of course I've come to confirm, to see if my Second Prince still pays attention to me."

The girl strained to look up; their height difference was too great, and only in this way could they barely make eye contact.

"So, do you have an answer now?" He remained expressionless, his face still indifferent.

Jiang Zhuoying continued to nod according to her own script: "It's confirmed. Second Prince really keeps his word. He treats even a servant like me so well. He truly lives up to his reputation."

"The reputation," he narrowed his eyes, "is well-deserved?"

The girl nodded again: "That's right, all the servants and guards in the courtyard think you're kind to everyone."

Qi Fan smiled slightly, immediately understanding her thoughts.

He turned around, picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and slowly said, "Do you want to plead for Chu Yixin?"

Jiang Zhuoying was stunned, caught off guard, not expecting to be pointed out so directly.

Talking to smart people is just a headache.

But she still had to pretend to be innocent and naive.

The girl lowered her head: "I...I am..."

"Did Ah Liu tell you that?"

Jiang Zhuoying: "..."

It feels terrible to be silenced and led by the nose.

She suddenly clutched her shoulder, frowned, and looked up: "Second Prince, my wound suddenly hurts so much."

Qi Fan paused slightly, frowning. "Didn't you change the dressing this morning?"

Jiang Zhuoying gasped for breath, her face contorted in pain: "A-Liu changed my dressing; he must have pulled on the wound when he came over earlier."

Her face was weak, and she timidly raised her eyes: "I can't stand up..."

She soon got her wish and was lifted up in a hug, her right shoulder facing outwards, as the man carried her quickly outside.

Jiang Zhuoying tugged at his sleeve and shook her head: "I'm sorry, I just felt that Eunuch Chu was very good to me, and it was so pitiful for him to be kneeling outside the door."

The man didn't stop walking, but the girl blurted out, "Could you please spare him?"

Qi Fan suddenly stopped and looked down at the little girl in his arms.

Jiang Zhuoying felt a little guilty under his gaze: "W-what's wrong?"

"Given your timid and cowardly nature, how dare you make such a request to me face to face?"

Alarm bells rang in Jiang Zhuoying's mind: Had her persona been distorted?

She was originally just a well-behaved, timid, innocent, and weak little pitiful girl...

"Ahem." The girl looked away. "I... I originally came to find you when I woke up this morning, but then I suddenly learned about Eunuch Chu's situation. I remembered his kindness and wanted to plead for him..."

"But I was also afraid of angering you, so I thought of a way for a long time, but..."

The girl looked at him with a wronged expression: "But the Second Prince still saw right through me."

"I'm sorry, are you unhappy with me like this?"

It was a mixture of truth and falsehood, leaving him no choice but to believe it.

The man gave her a deep look but did not respond.

She was carried out, but when she passed Chu Yixin at the door, she suddenly stopped.

"Let's go back."

Chu Yixin was greatly alarmed and immediately cried out, "Master! This servant will never do it again!"

"Go back and rest." Qi Fan interrupted him again, his gaze slightly meaningful.

Chu Yixin was stunned, realizing that he had been kept behind because the master had retracted his order and he would not be sent back to the Second Prince's residence!

He immediately kowtowed to express his gratitude.

When he looked up again, he saw the girl in his arms turning her head and smiling at him!

Chu Yixin was so moved that she kept wiping away tears...

Jiang Zhuoying was carried back to the side room, with A-Liu following closely behind the two.

Once she was put back on the bed, the man immediately stood up, glanced at her, and ordered, "Re-bandage her wounds."

"Yes." Ah Liu bowed in greeting.

Jiang Zhuoying stared blankly at the tall figure gradually disappearing into the distance, somewhat bewildered.

He didn't say a single word to her?

How can I possibly fall into her trap?!

*

That evening, in the study of the villa.

After reading the secret letter in his hand, Qi Fan casually placed it on the candlestick, and the letter slowly burned.

Ah Liu had already reported his injuries to him during the day; at that time, Ah Liu's eyes were red and his face was full of resentment.

“Master, Miss Jiang’s skin is as smooth as jade. That cut was quite deep. Now the wound is red and swollen. I’ve given Miss Jiang some painkillers, but if it leaves a scar, I don’t know how heartbroken Miss Jiang will be in the future…”

Crying so hard?

A pair of teary, moist eyes, red at the corners, and wet eyelashes involuntarily appeared in his mind.

The girl bit her lip pitifully and whispered her accusations against him, asking why he didn't avenge her when he clearly knew that the mastermind was the Third Prince.

She burst into tears, crying and questioning whether he was afraid of the Third Prince.

"Master?"

Qi Fan snapped out of his daze, his voice cold: "Tell Gu Yunci to bring the person over in two days."

Chu Yixin suddenly looked up, her voice rising: "Two days later?"

Master, are you... going to bring that matter forward?

Qi Fan glanced at him: "The autumn hunt is imminent."

Chu Yixin was stunned. Did the master mean to make this happen before the autumn hunt?

Originally, the earliest they could deal with him was after the Third Prince's marriage, along with the matter of the Duke of Rui's mansion, leaving him with no chance of recovery.

But now...

Qi Fan's expression darkened slightly: "Go."

"……yes."

Chu Yixin nodded and said nothing more. He vaguely knew that this was also for Jiang Yatou's sake.

But after all these years, the master is not an impatient person. He is meticulous and must have made thorough preparations.

All these servants could do was offer absolute support and trust.

*

Jiang Zhuoying has been in a bad mood these past two days. Firstly, she is currently injured and has no reason to leave the manor, so she cannot contact Xiangyue and Wujiu.

Secondly, it was because of the injury on her shoulder.

At first, she didn't take it seriously, only thinking about using it to her advantage, hoping to gain the Second Prince's trust as soon as possible and include her in the same category of "one of his own" as Eunuch Chu.

But that night while taking a bath, Ah Liu let slip that her fair skin was the result of a lot of hard work...

She was left with a scar, and no matter what she did, she couldn't swallow her anger!

Just as Jiang Zhuoying was worrying, A-Liu brought another piece of news.

"Can I come along too?"

Jiang Zhuoying was shocked and took the initiative to let her come out of the manor with her, which was something that had never happened before.

"You don't want to leave the manor?"

Ah Liu had just brought the news when the man followed him in.

Jiang Zhuoying looked towards the door. Qi Fan was still wearing a gray-blue cloth shirt today. At first glance, his eyebrows and eyes were cold and deep, his posture was upright, and he was very handsome.

"I... I just didn't expect that my brother, the Second Prince, would be willing to take me out of the manor on his own initiative..."

Without thinking, she instinctively tried to act cute.

Qi Fan walked up to her in a few steps, looked down at her, and said, "Go take a walk to clear your head."

Jiang Zhuoying nodded blankly, but before she could even agree, her body was suddenly lifted into the air.

She instinctively hugged someone's neck tightly, looking surprised: "Second Prince, brother?"

The man said calmly, "You're walking slowly, I'll lead you there."

"……oh."

She felt a little uncomfortable being treated so kindly all of a sudden.

Jiang Zhuoying was carried onto the same carriage she had ridden in before when she went to Yuanbaolou.

No, although the exterior is still the same as before, the interior decoration is quite different.

In the past, the interior of this carriage was empty, just an ordinary and unremarkable place, with a low-key curtain and hard seats with only a very thin cushion on them.

But today, the chair not only has thick, soft cushions, but also a soft backrest.

Jiang Zhuoying was placed on the soft cushion. She subconsciously sat down to make sure that the cushion under her bottom was thick and soft.

Although it wasn't as exquisite as her usual carriage, it was still adequate and at least comfortable.

"Second Prince, where are we going?"

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Author's Note: Yingbao: When will you fall for my trick?!

Qi Gou: ...It's already been won.