Chapter 36 The Highest Level of Playing Hard to Get

She straightened her clothes and said gently, "Before returning to the manor, I would like to ask Your Highness if your words from that night, when you said you would seriously consider whether you would like me, still stand?"

Xie Shang looked back at her. He was excited when he learned that Jiang Fenghua had signed the petition in the palace today. At that moment, he even had the urge to see her.

He felt a warm feeling in his heart when someone stood silently supporting him in the crowd.

However, when he saw her being protected by another man on the bridge, he felt as if he had been doused with cold water. He was filled with anger and resentment. The beautiful Jiang Fenghua was attracting the attention of other men, and he was insanely jealous.

Seeing her being bullied by drunkards, he wanted nothing more than to rush up and kill them. She was delicate and pitiful, and he wanted to rush up and protect her.

All his reactions showed one thing: he cared about Jiang Fenghua, and not just because she was his princess.

His heart was in turmoil; he developed unusual feelings for her, and found it difficult to control himself.

He was unwilling to admit that he had changed his mind, unwilling to admit that he had broken his vow to Su Tingwan, when he passionately declared that he would only love Su Tingwan.

Xie Shang did not answer her. He felt guilty for his actions just now. When he thought of Su Tingwan, he did not know how to answer or make any promises.

Jiang Fenghua straightened her clothes and walked past him. "Your Majesty, I understand your meaning. I will not make things difficult for you in the future."

After saying that, she raised her head and walked out the door with an air of arrogance.

Jiang Fenghua returned by carriage on her own, without waiting for him. It seems that besides feeling conflicted, he was also too embarrassed to get into her carriage tonight.

How could she possibly make Xie Shang only infatuated with her body after all the effort she had put in?

Xie Shang is currently only interested in women; she wants to take the art of playing hard to get to the highest level.

Upon returning to the Prince Heng's residence, Jiang Fenghua went back to Lanyue Pavilion alone, while Xie Shang returned a step later but went to Tanxiang Courtyard.

Su Tingwan was overjoyed to see him. "Your Highness, you're back. How is the Princess?"

"She's fine." Xie Shang's eyes darted away.

"Oh." Su Ting gracefully approached Xie Shang and took his arm. "It's so late, let me help Your Highness undress."

Xie Shang's body suddenly tensed up, but in order to deceive himself into believing that he only liked Su Tingwan, he nodded, "Yes, I'll go wash up."

Su Tingwan was secretly delighted. It turned out that Aunt Yunfang was right. Men like delicate and gentle women. No wonder A Shang was bewitched by Jiang Fenghua.

After washing up, Xie Shang returned to find Su Tingwan had taken off all but a thin shirt and was lying obediently on the bed.

"Ah Shang, go to sleep!" she said gently, blinking her eyes.

Xie Shang pursed his thin lips and obediently got into bed. He had no desire for Su Tingwan. He wanted to pounce on her, but his mind was filled with thoughts of Jiang Fenghua's face.

Su Tingwan was very nervous, her fingers twisting on her skirt. She had rejected him before, citing that they weren't married yet, wanting to save the best for their wedding night. But he was delayed on their wedding night, so this was a belated wedding night.

But she waited and waited, and Xie Shang did nothing to her. She was getting anxious. She turned her head and saw that he had his eyes closed, as if he were asleep.

Su Tingwan moved closer to him, bringing her face close to his chest. Her strapless nightgown was loose and baggy as she gently searched for his belt.

Xie Shang's mind was filled with Jiang Fenghua's question to him and her final attitude. He hadn't said anything, but Jiang Fenghua said she understood what he meant and that she wouldn't make things difficult for him in the future.

What did she mean by that?

Su Tingwan's hand suddenly touched his body, and he suddenly stiffened and sat up.

He suddenly said, "Wanwan..."

Before she could even speak, Su Tingwan kissed his lips, "Your Highness, Wanwan wants to be your woman..."

Xie Shang suddenly felt nauseous and pushed her away, saying, "Wanwan, don't do this."

Su Tingwan was caught off guard by his actions, her eyes filled with confusion. "A Shang, don't you love me anymore?"

Suddenly, Xie Shang lunged at her like a madman. He wanted to kiss Su Tingwan without restraint, to kiss her without any burden, and he wanted to prove that he would only like her.

Su Tingwan's eyes were filled with lust. She thought she would eventually become his woman, the woman that Prince Heng loved and cared about most. Suddenly, she heard Xie Shang's weak voice, "Wanwan, I'm sorry, I can't do it."

"Ah Shang, what's wrong?" Su Tingwan had a bad feeling.

Suddenly, he rolled out of bed, found his clothes, and put them on. For some reason, he suddenly had no interest in Su Tingwan. Whenever he saw her, Jiang Fenghua's face would flash through his mind. He knew he had wronged her, but he couldn't help thinking about Jiang Fenghua.

"Wanwan, I suddenly remembered that I still have a lot of official business to attend to. You should go to sleep first!" Xie Shang, dressed neatly, walked out of the room.

Only after his figure disappeared by the door did Su Tingwan finally break down and burst into tears.

When Aunt Yunfang entered the room and saw the scene on the bed and the departing figure of Prince Heng, she suddenly clenched her fists and stepped forward, saying, "The concubine and the prince didn't do anything just now, did they?"

Su Tingwan buried her face in Yunfang's arms. "Aunt Yunfang, what should I do? A Shang doesn't love me anymore. He doesn't like me anymore. Waaah... He won't even touch me now."

Yunfang said, "I didn't expect Jiang Fenghua to be so resourceful. No wonder the Imperial Concubine instructed me to be sure to..."

Seeing that she seemed about to speak but hesitated, Su Tingwan asked, "What did your aunt tell you?"

"Didn't the concubine and the prince do 'that' before?" Yunfang boldly asked her.

Su Tingwan blushed, "What...what are you doing?"

"What can a man and a woman do in the same room? Doesn't His Highness Prince Heng insist on having a concubine? He likes you so much, yet he hasn't done anything to you," she said.

Su Tingwan's face turned even redder. "But I didn't give in until the very last step. I really regret it now. I should have become the prince's woman sooner. If I had given birth to his child, he definitely wouldn't have married Jiang Fenghua."

Yunfang cursed her in her heart for being stupid. Men were already in her bed, but she still couldn't handle them. Didn't they say that Prince Heng would marry no one but her? Didn't they say that Prince Heng only loved her? They hadn't even consummated their marriage yet, so how could she have a child in her belly?

She said, "No matter what, the most important thing right now is for the concubine to consummate her marriage with the prince as soon as possible and give birth to his eldest son. Then your position will be secure."

"I heard that the prince and princess haven't consummated their marriage," Yunfang added.

Su Tingwan's eyes widened. "But I saw them together with my own eyes."

"This servant guesses that the prince has a concubine in his heart, but he is currently bewitched by Jiang Fenghua. It is normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. The most important thing for the concubine now is to figure out how to win over Prince Heng's heart. Since the concubine has married into the royal family, she should understand the importance of imperial offspring. Giving birth to a child is more important than anything else."

Yunfang taught her how to win over men.

Su Tingwan was now relieved that she and Xie Shang had held their wedding ceremony at the local temple that day; otherwise, given Jiang Fenghua's methods, she certainly wouldn't have let her in. Since that was the case, they'd just have to wait and see who won.