Chapter 35 Kiss first... I owe you

It's so beautiful like a dream.

Jiang Yueying's eyes widened slightly, and the words "Happy birthday" kept echoing in her ears.

In an unnoticed corner, she quietly pinched herself with her fingernails. The moment she felt the pain, she woke up from her trance and realized it was not a dream.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she pinched the hem of her skirt awkwardly, like a child who got candy for the first time, unable to utter a word.

How long has it been since she last remembered her birthday... It seemed that ever since she had peeked at Princess Anyi's birthday, she had forced herself to forget the year and month of her birth, as if this would make her a person without a birthday and would not have any unnecessary feelings of loss.

So much so that after attending the Fourth Prince's birthday banquet, she didn't even remember that her birthday was only one day away.

How could Xie Yuting know this? Did he check it out on purpose?

Even if I checked, is it really necessary to celebrate her birthday specifically? What's the point...

Afraid of being noticed, she blinked hard to hold back the tears.

Xie Yuting walked over slowly, his tone leisurely: "Do you like it? I specially had the flowers shipped from the south. Are they worthy of celebrating the princess' birthday?"

It would be a lie to say that she wasn't moved. Jiang Yueying's mind was blank. Before coming to Beiliang, she had already prepared herself to face all kinds of malice. She also expected that she and the prince would dislike each other and become a couple with a physical connection but a spiritual connection.

She stretched out her hand to greet the knife, but Xie Yuting handed her flowers.

What is he thinking? Doesn't he hate her?

Why do you spend so much time on her?

Looking up, Xie Yuting still had a smile on his face, as dazzling as a ray of rising sun.

Suddenly, the dark and damp corner in her heart was illuminated. Jiang Yueying was stunned. A peach blossom slid down from her temple and was blown towards the corner of his robe by the wind.

"What made you want to celebrate my birthday?"

"Because you are my Crown Princess, I don't know how you celebrate your birthday in Jiang Kingdom, but in my Beiliang East Palace, everything you had in the past must be yours now, and everything you didn't have in the past must be yours now."

Xie Yuting said it as if it was a matter of course, as if it was a matter of course.

The bright light climbed up his jade-like face, and the heroes came into his sight, shining with their beauty.

Jiang Yueying couldn't help but have tears in her eyes again, "Stupid Xie Yuting, I have nothing in Jiang Country. What you give me now is all I have gotten in the past ten years."

Unfortunately, I can't say a single word of these words.

"You haven't said whether you like it or not?" He came up to me again in a sticky and affectionate manner.

This time, Jiang Yueying didn't pretend to be reserved and pushed him away. Instead, she nodded gently, her voice as clear as spring water: "I like it."

"There's something else you'll like even more!" Xie Yuting suddenly became excited and pulled her forward. From among the blooming lilies, he took out two golden nanmu boxes and said, "Let me show you."

Jiang Yueying lowered her eyes and stared.

A long box, without too much decoration, looks brand new. He opened the wooden box, and the cold light instantly reflected on his face, adding a sharp aftertaste to his eyebrows.

Jiang Yueying was stunned when she saw the objects in the box, because she saw a sword with a silver-white scabbard, a simple and delicate osmanthus pattern carved on the hilt, and a purse-shaped tassel embroidered with fireflies on the top.

The moment she saw the sword, Jiang Yueying was filled with amazement.

Xie Yuting handed the sword to her. Unexpectedly, the sword was ridiculously light. Even though she didn't have much strength, she could easily make a few sword flowers.

It was like a sword tailor-made for her.

Perhaps it was too unexpected, Jiang Yueying hesitated and said: "For me...?"

"Yes, of course I have to give a gift for my birthday. I'm not a stingy man."

Jiang Yueying held the sword and carefully stroked the blade, touching every depression and ridge with her fingertips, engraving the patterns into her heart.

The eyes are full of crystal stars.

I like it. I like it very much.

She has her own sword now.

"Thank you." Jiang Yueying's throat choked slightly.

Xie Yuting smiled mischievously: "Thanking you with just words, little princess, is not sincere."

"Then how do you want to thank me?" Jiang Yueying looked innocent, thinking that it would be no problem even if the other party asked her to write the punishment for a year.

"I want—" Xie Yuting suddenly stretched his head over, pointed at his handsome cheek, and said with a smile, "Kiss me."

Not serious at all.

Jiang Yueying's face turned red again.

Her little face suddenly became hot, and the other person's hot breath swept across her neck. She couldn't help but gently rub that piece of skin, trying to dispel the tingling and itching feeling like a feather scratching.

Xie Yuting stepped closer, and Jiang Yueying could not resist him and took half a step back without noticing. Her thin back happened to lean against the porch column, and the peach blossoms wrapped on it fell lightly, landing on her nose and lips.

In a trance, she tasted a hint of the sweetness of peach blossoms.

"I'll... owe you the money first." She couldn't bring herself to say a strong refusal. After all, she had just accepted a gift from someone else, and it would be inappropriate to be rude to him.

Xie Yuting lowered his eyes, looked at the girl whose face was so red that it almost blended with the peach blossoms, and burst out laughing.

The timid little princess.

Shy but cute.

Jiang Yueying didn't understand why the other person was laughing. Did she look stupid?

She pursed her lips and abruptly changed the subject: "What's the other box?"

The other party also had an exquisite box in his hand, which was inlaid with sparkling shell pearls, so bright that it dazzled the eyes. Just looking at the decoration, it was a rare and luxurious item.

It looks like a dressing box for jewelry.

In fact, she really likes this sword, but she is not so eager for jewelry and gold.

Xie Yuting began to take Qiao: "Oh, the princess didn't even let me kiss her, and you still want to ask me what this is?"

The other person blinked his peach blossom eyes, clearly asking for benefits.

"Besides kissing you, can you please change your request..." Jiang Yueying hesitated for a long time and chose to give in.

Xie Yuting was silent for a moment, then he stroked his chin and said, "Then give me a hug, the kind that throws itself into my arms."

“…”

It’s not enough to just hug him, you also have to take the initiative to jump in.

Xie Yuting looked at her leisurely, with eyes full of anticipation.

Faced with the eager gaze, Jiang Yueying swallowed.

It’s okay to hug, after all, I’ve carried you before…

"I'm so sad. You won't agree to this." He sounded aggrieved.

I know that the other person is pretending to be pitiful, but...

Jiang Yueying took a deep breath, made up her mind, and pounced.

She gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and slammed her head against the man's strong chest, then fell into his arms.

Boom.

After being hit unexpectedly and feeling a soft body in his arms, Xie Yuting couldn't help laughing, thinking, what's the difference between this and a little sparrow that just learned to fly and then hits a tree?

"Murdering your husband?"

He reached out and rubbed her head. Her hair was as soft as clouds, making him unable to let go.

Hearing the teasing, Jiang Yueying, who was lying in someone's arms, felt extremely embarrassed and didn't dare to look up at all. It was too embarrassing. It seemed that the force of the collision was indeed a bit strong...

On second thought, she couldn't be blamed for being unfamiliar, as she had never had such close contact with a man.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a box opening.

Before she could react, the man's large palm pressed against her neck, and then, a chill fell on the side of her neck, like the snow in early winter.

Looking down, she found that there was a silver enamel lock on her neck, which looked like a gold ingot and a butterfly, and reflected a shimmering luster under the light of the palace lanterns.

It is a safety lock that the elders will make for the baby when the baby is one month old.

Jiang Yueying's eyes widened without blinking, her face full of disbelief.

From childhood to adulthood, she had only seen this thing on other people's necks.

"This is a birthday gift from your mother," Xie Yuting explained.

Jiang Yueying was even more shocked to find out that it was sent by the Queen.

"Why did the Queen Mother suddenly..."

Jiang Yueying couldn't understand why she was given a safety lock for her baby's one-month-old birthday. She was already married, so could it be given to her and Xie Yuting's child in advance?

The Queen Mother must have a deeper meaning. She pondered for a long time and thought that the Queen Mother was reminding her in a roundabout way to quickly have a child with Xie Yuting.

When her thoughts were in a mess, Xie Yuting knocked her forehead and said, "Don't think too much. Mother said this is a gift for you."

"Really giving it to me?"

"Lying to you is like a puppy."

"This is for children..." Jiang Yueying said modestly, but in fact she was very happy and wished she would never take it off. "Since it was given by my mother, I will wear it well."

She tucked the safety lock to her chest and slowly stroked the word "Fu" carved on it with her fingers. The cold silver lock gave off a hint of warmth, which made her heart sad.

Her eyes became moist again, and Jiang Yueying raised her head, thinking that this was the best birthday she had ever had.

Under the moonlight and candlelight, Xie Yuting accompanied her to appreciate the flowers for most of the night. She picked flowers with great interest and pinned them in her hair, like a gorgeous peacock.

Looking at him moving through the flowers, Jiang Yueying felt that her heart was somewhat out of control and inexplicably restless.

Are you too excited to celebrate your birthday for the first time?

At midnight, Xie Yuting returned to his room and fell asleep immediately, seeming to be extremely tired.

Jiang Yueying shook her head helplessly, turned around to extinguish the candle in the room, took off her pomegranate skirt and got on the bed.

She crawled into bed silently, revealing half of her head, swaying from side to side like a sprouting seedling, unexpectedly unable to sleep.

Everything that happened today was like a beautiful dream that disappeared after waking up, so she didn't dare to sleep for fear that she would wake up.

She turned around, opened her round eyes wide in the dim bedroom, and pictured Xie Yuting's sleeping face inch by inch.

The bed curtains blocked the bright moonlight outside. Bathed in the darkness of the night, his face was hazy and tender, as quiet as a sleeping lotus.

It was obvious that she had never said a soft word to him, let alone sweet talk, but this guy was still busy celebrating her birthday.

Isn’t he the dissolute and naughty Crown Prince? Why is he so nice to her? Jiang Yueying couldn’t understand.

Thinking of the conditions he proposed, Jiang Yueying apologized in her heart, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to not kiss you, I just wanted to pretend to be Princess Anyi's arrogance..."

"Xie Yuting..." she called softly.

The other party didn't move.

Jiang Yueying mustered up her courage and slowly moved closer to him. Taking advantage of the night, she lowered her head and left a light kiss on the side of his face.

A dragonfly skims the water, fleeting by.

Her ears suddenly felt like they were on fire, and she was so embarrassed that she buried her head in the quilt and forced herself to sleep.

The night is quiet and peaceful, and the breathing is shallow.

After an unknown amount of time, the sleeping man opened his eyes, stared at the back of the girl's head, and raised the corners of his lips in an imperceptible arc.

…

The residence of the third prince.

On Xie Yusui's desk were the construction drawings from the Ministry of Works, as well as a lot of information collected from the public.

Ever since poisoning was discovered at the last palace banquet, the Third Prince Xie Yusui began to suspect Prince Xuan Xie Yutong. However, after a thorough investigation, he did not find any clues at all.

It’s as if the medicine for infertility appeared out of thin air.

He knew that the relationship between King Xuan and his concubine was becoming increasingly close, and that the concubine would return to her parents' home to visit from time to time.

Xie Yusui became even more suspicious. Was he really going back to visit his relatives, or was he taking the opportunity to pass on information to his father in the Ministry of Rites?

His face was gloomy.

Both of them are sons of the imperial concubine and are deeply loved by Emperor Liang. Moreover, Xie Yutong is the only prince who is crowned king besides the eldest prince, and he has unique advantages.

Xie Yusui hadn't been wary of Xie Yutong in the past. First, the Imperial Concubine had often taught the two brothers not to kill each other, but to work together to eliminate the other princes. Second, Prince Xuan always appeared to be a refined and elegant scholar. If he were to ascend the throne, he lacked the aura of a ruthless emperor and was not a threat.

Both of them were often commended by their father, and Xie Yusui could see that his father was more satisfied with himself, but he had never thought about it carefully. Is Xie Yutong really willing to accept this?

What if Xie Yutong appears to be on good terms with him, but actually harbors evil intentions?

As long as he loses the qualification to compete for the throne, then as a second choice, my father will definitely choose the equally favored Prince Xuan Xie Yutong.

Xie Yusui's eyes darkened, and he began to mock his former naive self. Bah, there is no such thing as brotherhood in the royal family, only fratricide!

From now on, he will no longer show mercy to Xie Yutong's men.

Mr. Feng, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Works, carefully observed his unpredictable expression and tentatively asked, "Third Prince, is there something wrong with the intelligence you've collected?"

Xie Yusui came back to his senses and said in a hoarse voice, "My second brother has an excellent reputation among the people. People praise him for his brilliance and talent. Many scholars take him as a role model and call him a true gentleman."

I sneered in my heart, thinking that a true gentleman would rather be the real emperor.

Lord Feng spoke frankly: "Among all the princes, Prince Xuan is indeed more popular among the people."

Xie Yusui was very dissatisfied, frowning, and couldn't help wanting to compete with him. Isn't it just that the people spread his good name, what's so great about it?

He just disdains it, but that doesn't mean he can't do it.

Besides, what does it matter if he is extremely talented? Becoming an emperor is not like taking imperial examinations. If he wants to win the hearts of the people, he might as well do something practical.

There was a famine in Jiangbei before, and there were many refugees wandering around. If you can help the refugees, you will have no worries about gaining a good reputation.

He was about to give his order when Lord Feng suddenly stopped him and said sternly, "Your Highness, please think twice. The number of refugees arriving from Jiangbei is enormous. With your salary, I'm afraid... you can't provide for them all."

In fact, the Third Prince's Mansion is not short of money. The Ministry of Works is extremely profitable, and the Third Prince has made a lot of money from it. He openly provides aid to refugees, which inevitably makes people wonder where this huge amount of money comes from.

Xie Yusui gradually calmed down. He was so angry just now that he lost his mind. Now he thought that it was indeed inappropriate to think deeply about it.

"Besides, there was a chivalrous man from the countryside who used his own money to build a soup kitchen and a clinic, and he was faster than the imperial court. I'm afraid we won't need any more help now."

Xie Yusui raised his eyebrows, quite curious about the folk heroes, and asked quickly.

Lord Feng: "This man is known as the Cold-Coated Swordsman. He has been doing justice and helping the people for many years. He has an extremely high reputation among the people, and his reputation is as if he were a celestial being sent down from heaven."

Hearing this, Xie Yusui's gloomy face slowly broke into a smile, and he said sinisterly, "That's perfect! If we can recruit this man, then we won't have to worry about not winning the hearts of the people."