Chapter 48 A Princess Complex

Midway through the banquet, Li Yuanzhao excused himself to change his clothes.

The Emperor waved his hand and let her go.

Li Yuanshu watched all this from a distance, trembling with rage.

She originally thought that Shen Churong's hunting of a tiger was already quite remarkable, enough to surpass Li Yuanzhao's achievement.

But I never expected this woman to be so lucky, she even managed to hunt a white tiger!

They even made up so many lies for nothing, using a dead tiger to steal the limelight.

Even Pei Huaijin's gaze towards her held a hint of indescribable admiration, which fueled her jealousy even more.

Li Yuanshu was so angry that he stabbed the venison on the plate with a silver hairpin.

The palace maid beside her cautiously advised, "Princess, be careful not to hurt your hand."

"Mind your own business!" Li Yuanshu snapped.

Shen Churong was equally unconvinced. Seeing that Li Yuanzhao was about to leave his seat, he quickly stood up and blocked Li Yuanzhao's way.

"You're just lucky."

Li Yuanzhao glanced at Chen Yanqing behind him and nodded, "Indeed, he was lucky."

Li Yuanzhao's candid tone sounded like blatant sarcasm to Shen Churong.

His chest heaved, his handsome face full of youthful stubbornness: "If you're so capable, let's have another match! Let's compete in archery and horsemanship, whoever loses..."

“Shen Churong,” Li Yuanzhao interrupted him, “a loss is a loss. Your behavior makes me think that you can’t accept defeat.”

After saying that, she walked past him without waiting for his response and left.

Shen Churong stood frozen in place, the words "can't afford to lose" striking his heart like a heavy hammer.

The Shen family has been a military family for generations. He grew up in the military camp from a young age. His horsemanship and archery skills are unmatched among the younger generation. Even the emperor once praised him for having the demeanor of the late empress.

But no matter what he did, he could never beat Li Yuanzhao.

He always wanted to beat her, simply to prove himself.

But just now, in front of Li Yuanzhao, he acted like a child who only cared about winning and losing, and he couldn't even maintain his "manly demeanor".

This was more embarrassing for him than losing any other match.

Li Yuanzhao returned to his own tent.

The curtain was astonishingly large, as spacious as four houses, and the interior furnishings were even more elegant.

The floor was covered with soft cushions, and in the center was an exquisite wooden bed.

The room is fully equipped with desks, wardrobes, and bathtubs.

Even the screen is decorated with Suzhou embroidery of a hundred animals, exuding royal refinement in every detail.

The tent was filled with candlelight, illuminating the entire space.

Ru Mo had disappeared again, leaving only Chen Yanqing with her in the tent.

As soon as Li Yuanzhao entered the room, he turned his back to him and opened his arms.

Chen Yanqing was suddenly stunned, somewhat not understanding the meaning behind it.

It wasn't until he saw the steaming bathtub behind the screen that he realized he was being asked to undress.

This task was always done by Ru Mo or her personal maid. Although he served in front of her, he had never personally attended to such private matters.

But looking at that composed figure, he dared not hesitate. He could only swallow hard, slowly step forward, and stand behind her.

Li Yuanzhao was tall, half a head taller than the average noblewoman.

He leaned down slightly, mimicking Ru Mo's usual manner, and wrapped his arm around her waist to undo her belt.

The posture made it seem as if he was gently embracing her from behind.

His breath hitched as soon as his fingertips touched the jade buckle on his waist belt.

The riding outfit was made of the finest Yun brocade, smooth and slightly cool, and you could feel the strong, firm lines of her waist and back even through the fabric.

This realization made his heart skip a beat. In a daze, he felt as if the alcohol was kicking in and he was quite drunk.

"What are you dawdling for?" Li Yuanzhao turned to look at him when he saw that he hadn't moved for a while.

Their faces instantly drew closer, barely inches apart.

Chen Yanqing's breathing stopped abruptly, and he lowered his head sharply, his forehead almost touching her shoulder.

He quickly composed himself and held his breath as he untied the belt.

The buckle was an exquisite Qilin lock. He was used to untying knots on swords and knives, but now, faced with this delicate contraption, his fingers seemed to have a mind of their own. It took him two tries to finally unlock the mechanism.

With a soft "click," the jade clasp came undone, and the crimson robe slipped off its shoulders, revealing the moon-white undergarment beneath.

The collar was embroidered with tiny, subtle gold patterns, a simple design he had never seen before, which made his neck appear even more muscular and strong.

He thought that was the end of it, and hurriedly squatted down to pick up his riding clothes that had fallen to the ground.

But when he looked up, he saw that Li Yuanzhao was still in the same position as before, clearly not intending to give up.

Could it be... that she even needs his help to take off her undergarments?

Chen Yanqing thought to himself: This person really has a princess complex.

Despite his inner grumbling, he still had no choice but to reach out.

When his fingertips reached towards the collar of her inner garment, they inevitably touched the skin on the side of her neck, causing him to flinch as if burned.

"Are you going to dawdle until dark?"

Li Yuanzhao's voice already carried a hint of impatience.

Why does it take so long to take off your clothes? What's the point of being so clumsy?

Chen Yanqing steeled himself and his fingertips fell again, quickly unbuttoning the buttons on his collar.

The material of her inner garment was even thinner, and you could almost feel her warm body temperature through the fabric.

The heat seemed to climb up his fingertips, making him feel like he had been thrown into a steamer, and even his back was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

Once the ties of his inner robe came undone, he dared not look any longer, nor linger any longer. He practically fled, taking two steps back and clutching the pile of clothes, saying, "This subordinate will go out first."

He practically fled in panic, and in his haste to lift the curtain, he almost tripped over it.

Inside the tent, Li Yuanzhao ignored him and stepped naked into the bathtub filled with hot water.

Warm water flowed over my shoulders, washing away the smell of blood.

But his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.

It seems that keeping Chen Yanqing around is quite useful.

He encountered a white tiger, a sight that appears only once in a century.

It was as if heaven was secretly helping him.

Perhaps, she can really use his good fortune to clear the obstacles in her path?

only……

She lowered her eyes to look at her reflection in the water, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Tonight's events are more crucial than the daytime hunt.

Outside the tent, Chen Yanqing's back was pressed against the cold tent wall, his heart still pounding wildly.

The warmth I just felt on my fingertips, the faint fragrance on my undergarment, and that fleeting glimpse of something dazzling in my panic…

These images lingered in his mind, and he couldn't forget them.

He seemed genuinely drunk.