Chapter 24 Peach Blossom Smile "What are you hiding from? Do you think I'm going to eat you?"...

Xue Chan searched for Cheng Huaizhu in the flower grove.

Because he couldn't find it anywhere, he gradually became worried.

She had just walked along a winding flower path when, in her haste, she almost bumped into someone.

Xue Chan was startled, and worried about Cheng Huaizhu, so she quickly took a step back and bowed, apologizing, "Excuse me."

She led Yun Sheng Chu Tao across, but was stopped by a folding fan.

"You must be Miss Xue, Jiang Bozhou's fiancée?"

Xue Chan silently stepped back a little and looked up at him. The man was smiling and looked very amiable; she could probably guess that he was the Little Prince of Ning.

"That's right," she said, not wanting to ramble on, "I've been out for a while, so I'll take my leave now."

She smiled and bowed her head in greeting.

Goodbye

Seeing that although she was smiling, her eyes held a hint of wariness, Prince Ning gave her a warm smile in return.

Why is Miss Xue in such a hurry to leave?

Xue Chan silently took two more steps back and replied, "We've been out for too long; it's time to go back."

When Prince Ning saw her, he thought of the despicable Jiang Ce.

"The peach blossoms beside Fuguang Pond are a unique sight in the palace, blooming every year like clouds and mist."

He looked at Xue Chan, his face as warm as spring, but the smile in his eyes was only superficial.

Xue Chan was puzzled, but still smiled gently, "It is indeed very nice. Springtime scenery is beautiful."

"If I leave for too long, Your Majesty may look for me. Please enjoy this beautiful scenery."

She bowed and was about to leave.

As if sensing someone approaching from afar, Xue Chan did not stop, but instead quickened her pace.

Turn past a peach tree in full bloom.

Prince Ning also saw the approaching person, and instead smiled, catching up with Xue Chan and appearing right in front of her.

He suddenly stood in front of her, his voice soft and gentle, sounding very tender and affectionate.

"I've heard that Miss Xue is a descendant of the Xue family, and that her painting skills are superb at such a young age, even earning praise from His Majesty. I wonder if I could have the pleasure of seeing her work?"

Xue Chan thought he was sick.

Why are so many people who go to the capital sick?

She said calmly, "If we are destined to meet, we will meet again."

Xue Chan didn't want to have too much contact with him, so she walked quickly, wanting to get as far away from him as possible.

To everyone's surprise, the other party pressed on relentlessly, speaking gently but relentlessly.

"His Majesty personally bestowed the marriage contract between Miss Xue and Jiang Erlang. In the future, you will be attending many more banquets and meeting many more people. Will you still be as willful and capricious as you are today?"

Seeing that the other party was still walking beside Xue Chan relentlessly, she felt a surge of irritation and anger. Her tone became much colder and sharper, "My marriage is up to Her Majesty the Empress. There's no need for the young master to worry about it."

Yun Sheng wanted to protect her behind him, but as soon as he stepped forward, Prince Ning gave him a look that was neither too strong nor too weak.

After quickly composing herself, Xue Chan bowed respectfully and said, "I am new to the capital and my etiquette is lacking. Please forgive me."

Su Yun saw that the other party had lowered his eyes and was being polite and gentle.

He smiled, took a few steps forward, and handed the peach blossom to Xue Chan.

“Jiang Bozhou and I have known each other since childhood. You are his fiancée, so please accept this flower as a gift.”

Xue Chan took a few steps back to create some distance between them, curtsied, and said softly, "I appreciate your kindness, but we are complete strangers, so how can I accept this gift? Why don't you take it back and use it to decorate for the spring season?"

"Since Miss Xue is Erlang's fiancée, and we will have many interactions in the future, she is just a flower, so why should you refuse?"

He handed the apricot blossom to Xue Chan, but she frowned and did not take it.

Prince Ning didn't say anything, but his smile deepened.

Xue Chan didn't accept it, and he didn't take it back either.

The deeper and softer his smile, the more oppressed Xue Chan felt.

"Miss Xue"

Xue Chan was worried about Cheng Huaizhu and didn't want to waste any more time, so she finally reached out and took the flower.

She held the flower branch in her hand. Whether it was because she was gripping it too tightly or because the branch was rough, it felt a little uncomfortable to hold.

She doesn't like it, she really doesn't like it.

She disliked the seemingly gentle gaze of the other person, as well as the subtle sense of aggression and oppression hidden beneath their gentle words.

"It just so happens that I am also returning to my seat. Let me go with Miss Xue so that I can protect her safety."

Xue Chan frowned and walked away from him.

She had absolutely no idea what was going on in this person's head.

However, Xue Chan thought it would be strange if she understood.

"Within the imperial palace, beside the emperor, how could there be any danger? You are overthinking it."

"That's hard to say. If something happens to you along the way, and Jiang Erlang finds out, he'll definitely come after me. He might even make a move in the palace again."

"I am very afraid."

Xue Chan sneered, "You deserve it."

She hated threats more than anything in her life, so she stopped pretending, turned around and strode away.

"No need, that's against etiquette."

Prince Ning walked up quickly, and nimbly passed by him, drifting away into the distance.

The paper fan he had just extended was suddenly struck by a blooming peach branch and snapped in two, falling to the ground before he could retract it.

Even his wrist was shaken open by the flower and began to tremble incessantly.

He rubbed his wrist; the flower branch, as thick as a forearm, was deeply embedded in the tree trunk. It suddenly blocked his way, preventing him from taking even half a step forward.

As the spring sun shines, the peach blossoms on the branches bloom brightly.

Prince Ning looked in the direction the flower branch had flown from and saw a young man in a pink spring robe gently parting the crooked branches.

"You didn't hear what she said..."

A gentle breeze stirs, causing countless branches to tremble; a gust of peach blossoms drifts by, carrying with them soft laughter.

Is it not in accordance with propriety?

Prince Ning chuckled, tossed the broken fan aside, and slowly rubbed his wrist.

"Who do we have here?"

He laughed and said, "What, are you going to hit me again?"

Jiang Ce slowly walked down. He knew that Xue Chan had clearly seen him coming, but he insisted on chasing after her to humiliate her.

He gave a cold laugh: "If you continue to be ungrateful, I'll tell His Majesty."

"..." The young Prince Ning's smile froze, and he immediately frowned. "Jiang Bozhou, how old are you?"

"I can be as old as I want, it's none of your business."

He's not a child; why waste words on physical violence?

A short while later, Su Yun emerged from the flower grove and called out, "Bo Zhou!"

Jiang Ce glanced at him lazily, ignored him, and walked straight out of the flower grove.

Just outside is the embankment of Fuguang Pond.

When Xue Chan came out of the flower grove, she had just reached the bridgehead of Peach Blossom Embankment.

"girl!"

Chu Tao ran towards the two of them. Before Xue Chan could even ask, she breathlessly said, "Miss Huaizhu has been found. The Lady of Wu'an Marquis has already sent her back, and Her Majesty has put her to sleep at Yuquan Pavilion."

Xue Chan asked her, "Where did you find it?"

Chu Tao: "She was not far from us. She was hiding behind a tree, but then she met Lady Ning and they chatted for a while, and then she fell asleep. When Mingxia and I found her, Miss Huaizhu was already drunk and asleep. Luckily, Lady Ning was with her."

Xue Chan, leaning against the stone railing, breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."

With the heavy weight that had been hanging over her heart finally lifted, she angrily threw the flower branch in her hand to the ground to vent her anger, and only then was she able to appreciate the beautiful scenery of Fuguang Pond.

Fuguang Pond is called a pond, but it is actually a lake with a circle of white stones piled up around its edge.

A row of tall green willows was planted on both banks of the bridge, interspersed with pink peach blossoms. The slender, green willow branches brushed the water, and the petals drifted on the surface like pink jade.

The Peach Blossom Embankment beneath our feet stretches out like a white wave across the azure surface of Fuguang Pond.

As Jiang Ce approached, he saw the group of women huddled together, pointing at the lake and laughing.

Yun Sheng leaned over the stone railing and looked down. She pointed to the water and exclaimed with delight, "Look, there are fish!"

The two leaned over to look, and saw several plump, grayish-white fish swimming lazily in the clear water.

Xue Chan smiled and said, "After we leave the palace, let Chunniang make crispy fish. It's the perfect time to eat fish."

Chu Tao and Yun Sheng looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Chun Niang's cooking was the best.

"What dish is it? Can I try some?"

A cheerful question suddenly rang out beside them. Xue Chan turned her head and met Jiang Ce's face.

His dark eyes, like jeweled beads, were clear and bright in the light.

This person appeared here at some point, with his hands behind his back, and like them, bent down to look at the water, turning his head to look at Xue Chan.

Why do they appear and disappear so mysteriously, without making a sound?

Startled, Xue Chan immediately took a few steps back, creating distance between herself and him.

The flower branch in his hand fell to the ground instantly, and Jiang Ce walked up and stepped on it.

Xue Chan raised an eyebrow slightly as she looked at the flower branches he was stepping on.

Jiang Ce followed her gaze and looked down. He lifted his foot and realized that he was stepping on a peach blossom.

He bent down to pick it up. The flower was already a mess of branches and leaves, and Jiang Ce had stepped on it. Only a few scattered petals remained on the branch.

It's crooked and twisted, and can't be straightened.

It's becoming increasingly devastating.

Jiang Ce assumed Xue Chan was just lamenting the state of the flowers, so he said, "These flowers are in such a state that even if you put them in a vase, they'll look terribly ugly. You might as well just throw them away."

He twirled the flower branch, then casually tossed it into the Fuguang Pool with a look of disgust.

With a gentle flick, it flew quite a distance.

Seeing the flower branch sink, leaving only ripples on the water's surface, Xue Chan felt a sense of exhilaration.

Perfect timing, she also found the flowers uncomfortable to hold.

Seeing that she was staring blankly at the flower branch that had been thrown away, Jiang Ce said, "If you like it, I'll break you two more new ones."

As he spoke, he reached out to pluck a flower from beside him, but just as his hand touched the branch, he heard Xue Chan hurriedly refuse.

"No!"

Jiang Ce looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Xue Chan said in a muffled voice, "I don't want it anymore, I don't like it."

"oh"

Jiang Ce thought that Xue Chan didn't dislike the flowers; she just didn't like him, so she was unwilling to accept him picking flowers for her.

A surge of displeasure instantly welled up inside me.

What right does she have to look down on her?

Seeing him frown, Xue Chan realized she hadn't hidden her emotions well, so she lowered her head to steady herself, and when she looked up, she had a warm smile on her face.

She gave a graceful bow, then turned and left.

"stop!"

Jiang Ce called out to her, his hands still behind his back, and walked up to her, bending down to look at Xue Chan.

"Am I going to eat you? Why are you leaving as soon as you see me?"

Xue Chan lowered her eyes and smiled peacefully.

He won't eat her, but he'll act like a jerk.

Xue Chan didn't want to ruin the good mood that the beautiful scenery had finally soothed her, so she softened her voice and spoke very gently.

"We've been out for too long, it's time to go back."

Xue Chan didn't want to pay him any attention, so she quickly bowed and tried to walk past him.

Just as she passed by him, Jiang Ce stretched out his arm to block her way, holding a delicate cuju ball in his hand.

"Why have you become so distant, Miss Xue, after just a few days?"

Xue Chan: "......"

Yun Sheng strode forward, separating the two of them, and glared at him.

"Tsk," Jiang Ce grabbed Yun Sheng's sleeve with two fingers and pulled him away.

"Your daughter and I are engaged, after all, and this is the palace. Besides, it's broad daylight, under the clear sky, are you going to throw her into this Fuguang Pond?"

Yun Sheng snorted at him irritably: "Do you even believe what you're saying?"

Jiang Ce smiled and spoke calmly.

"You little girl, don't think so much at such a young age, or you'll age quickly."

Yun Sheng was so angry by his words that his face turned red, and he gritted his teeth indignantly.

Chu Tao, standing beside her, held her back, afraid that she would rush up and be kicked into the lake by Jiang Ce.

"I'm talking to your daughter, why are you getting involved?" Jiang Ce waved his hand and pointed to the shade under the tall willows on the bank. "Go there for the shade."

Xue Chan: "......"

I really want to sew his mouth shut.

Yun Sheng: "......."

I really want to kick him into the lake.