Chapter 55 Winter Hunt

The two lingered outside for only a short while. Chi Zhao looked at Shen Yan'an's thin clothes and suggested, "Let's go back first. You're wearing too little. Be careful not to catch a cold."

Shen Yan'an pursed his lips and complained softly, "I just came here in a hurry to find you."

"What's the rush? Next time, even if you're in a hurry, wear an extra layer."

Her voice remained gentle, and she even rubbed his hands together a couple of times.

This made Shen Yan'an, who was used to her coldness, brighten up. He looked up and asked expectantly, "You really don't like Gu Zhixing?"

"Well, if you don't keep mentioning him in front of me, I won't even remember his name."

The young master's eyes widened, and his expression instantly turned somewhat regretful. "I... I won't mention him anymore. Can you forget about him?"

...

Although she had a good memory and probably wouldn't forget, Chi Zhao still nodded silently, "Mm," in order to appease her husband.

Shen Yan'an then became happy again.

His beautiful eyes kept looking at her.

But her joy lasted only a moment. Suddenly remembering something, Xiao Junzi frowned and rubbed against Chi Zhao again, dissatisfied. "You, you smiled so happily at them..."

Chi Zhao raised an eyebrow.

The young lady then made a demand, "Hmph, you have to smile at me too. You always smile at me coldly, you've never been this happy!"

He felt very wronged, and even the thought of it made him feel a little aggrieved.

Chi Zhao found his pitiful words somewhat reasonable.

"Go ahead and smile. Can't you smile at me?"

Seeing that she still wasn't smiling, Shen Yan'an pursed her lips and pressed her for an answer, her eyes already brimming with tears.

He was about to cry again.

She's extremely spoiled and gets angry easily.

Chi Zhao thought of her husband's personality, which was different in every life, but there were always things that she liked about him. A faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

Upon seeing this, Shen Yan'an's eyes lit up, and he stared at it intently, completely mesmerized.

Yes, that's it.

I want her to smile like that.

She looks so beautiful when she smiles like that.

Although Junzi had been rejected before, she still threw herself into his arms without hesitation and said coquettishly, "Hmph, you can only smile like this at me from now on, and you're not allowed to smile like this at anyone else."

Chi Zhao:......

I'll try my best.

She can't control that. She laughs when talking about happy things, but there's nothing funny about it otherwise.

But Chen Yan'an disagreed with even a word of "trying her best," and leaned against him fiercely, saying, "If you smile like that at someone else again, I'll make a scene!"

That's terrifying.

"Your Highness has quite a temper."

Seeing him fidgeting, Chi Zhao was afraid he would fall, so she gently put her arm around him and said something jokingly, which startled the person huddled in her arms.

Saying someone has a bad temper is not a nice thing to hear, so Xiao Junzi puffed out her cheeks and hugged her to retort, "I don't have a bad temper. I, I actually have a very good temper. I listen to everything you say. I don't have a bad temper."

As the young master spoke, he rubbed his soft cheek against the other person.

"It's okay, I don't mind your bad temper."

Chi Zhao found it increasingly difficult to be ruthless towards him, always approaching things with gentleness.

Shen Yan'an: !!!

The person in his arms was immediately overjoyed.

She said she doesn't mind my bad temper!

She likes me so much!

My guess was right, I just like it!

Shen Yan'an always liked to test the waters with intimacy, so with a hint of trepidation, she said in a soft and coquettish voice, "Then will you marry me? If you marry me, I will take care of the household affairs for you. I will learn how to manage the household well from my father and I will manage it very well for you."

Xiao Junzi tried her best to promote herself.

The topic of marriage again gave Chi Zhao a headache, and he could only rub his temples and honestly tell him, "I can't marry you."

Xiao Junzi was rejected again. The repeated rejections from the man he loved made him feel uneasy and extremely sad.

Tears welled up in her eyes immediately, and she looked like she was about to cry. Chi Zhao felt a little anxious, so she silently changed her words, "I can't marry you now. We're not suitable for each other yet."

Inappropriate!!!

The naive and somewhat selfish Xiaojunzi doesn't understand what incompatibility means, and insists that they are the most suitable couple in the world.

He was desperate to get married and couldn't wait to marry Chi Zhao.

I completely disagree with what Chi Zhao said about it being inappropriate.

Helpless, Chi Zhao confessed, "If I were to propose to you now, Princess Qing would probably kill me on the spot."

A mere guard dares to say he wants to marry a princess? Princess Qing will be furious afterward, and will probably chop him to pieces.

Shen Yan'an was stunned.

When he first fell in love with Lu Mingwei, no one in his family objected. They readily agreed and fully supported him, so when he proposed to marry Chi Zhao, he also never expected to be stopped.

When her little face loses its expression, she looks a bit bewildered, which is kind of cute.

Chi Zhao reached out and rubbed it.

When Shen Yan'an came to his senses, he had to admit that his beloved's concerns seemed to be correct. His mother allowed him to marry down, but she would never agree to marry down to this extent.

What should we do? But Chi Zhao is a bodyguard!

She can't marry him if he's a bodyguard, but he forced Chi Zhao into the bodyguard position. She can't read, so what should she do? If Chi Zhao becomes a bodyguard for life, then she can never marry him.

Shen Yan'an's face showed a look of collapse.

I felt like I was suffocating.

"I...I'll go and tell my mother that it was my own choice to marry you, and I beg my mother to grant us her blessing!"

"If you go, I'm afraid you won't see me tomorrow."

The young girl was just naive and selfish, not really stupid; she understood after a little thought.

His expression then became even more distressed and distraught.

"Then what should I do? Does that mean I can't marry you?"

The young girl's pale lips trembled, as if she were about to cry.

Chi Zhao certainly didn't intend to be a bodyguard for life, but he couldn't say that to Shen Yan'an.

...

Fearing for his beloved's safety, Shen Yan'an has indeed become much more restrained lately, no longer daring to be so openly affectionate with his guards in public.

Chi Zhao is right. He is just a prince. If his mother insists on killing his beloved, she can do it without anyone knowing. Since he doesn't know, how can he stop her?

That's terrifying.

The young master was in a daze for several days. He would wake up in the middle of the night fearing that something had happened to his beloved, but he didn't dare to go to her late at night. So he stayed up all night with fear and anxiety until he saw her on duty the next day, and only then did his heart slowly settle down.

Because she didn't get enough rest, Xiao Junzi looked haggard.

Prince Qing felt extremely distressed, but he still insisted in his heart that his son's condition was all Lu Mingwei's fault. He believed that Lu Mingwei was blind and disliked Xiao An, which was why Xiao An had turned out this way.

The word "love" really does harm people.

The people in the Prince's mansion could only take turns comforting the young princess, hoping that their precious princess would soon return to her previous willful and arrogant state.

But this only made Shen Yan'an even more unhappy.

His family members come to visit him every day, and he doesn't have a chance to secretly say a few words to his sweetheart!

He already had little time to talk, and he didn't dare to cling to anyone, so Chi Zhao wouldn't come in to find him on his own initiative.

Shen Yan'an was even more worried.

Upon seeing this, some people in Prince Qing's mansion even suspected that he was lovesick and insisted on inviting a doctor specializing in this field to examine him.

The proud Princess Qing refused.

Just as the royal family decided to hold a winter hunt, Prince Qing wanted to take his youngest son out for a stroll.

When the Queen Mother mentioned it, Shen Yan'an also wanted to go on a winter hunt with his beloved to relax.

Everyone was busy during the winter hunt, so no one paid him any attention. As long as he didn't cause any trouble, he could secretly get close to the person he liked.

Thinking of this, Shen Yan'an's eyes lit up.

He agreed and then secretly made arrangements to ensure that Chi Zhao became his coachwoman on the winter hunting trip.

Prince Qing is deeply trusted by His Majesty and is highly skilled in martial arts. His carriage is very close to His Majesty's, while Shen Yan'an is a little further away. This suits the little prince's wishes perfectly, as he can stick to Chi Zhao and talk to him all the way.

Chi Zhao knew that Xiao Junzi had been holding back these past few days, and even though she had been constantly pestered, he didn't say anything to her. His attitude remained the same, which seemed a little cold to outsiders.

Shen Yan'an was too fond of her gentleness. Seeing her cold expression, he squeaked aggrievedly at her several times along the way.

The winter hunt took place in a temporary palace, not too far from the capital, but they still set off early and arrived after dark. Because of his noble status, Shen Yan'an was assigned to live alone in a courtyard.

He was even happier, thinking about how to get closer to his sweetheart when he got back, and the gloom he felt at home finally dissipated a little.

Seeing that his complexion had improved considerably, Prince Qing was relieved.

It's true that he needed to get out and relax. An'er hasn't bothered Lu Mingwei for a while. At first, he might have been a little upset because he couldn't let go of her, but after all this time, he should be feeling better now.

Time heals all wounds, and he thought his son had completely let go of Lu Mingwei, unaware that he had fallen into a new love affair.

After settling his belongings, Shen Yan changed into his newly acquired beautiful clothes. The snow-white robe accentuated his slender and jade-like figure, and his gentle temperament. Then, without hesitation, he asked his servant to call Chi Zhao into the room.

The two personal attendants were the only two who knew what their young lady was thinking, and they were terrified.

He dared not stop Junzi, yet feared that if the matter were exposed, it would lead to his death.

Every day was incredibly difficult.

But the young couple clearly didn't care about their feelings. Chi Zhao was originally guarding the courtyard, but only went in after being called.

Since she was going out, she didn't wear the uniform of the Prince Qing's guards anymore, but changed into another outfit, which made her look tall and straight, with an imposing presence.

Shen Yan'an was immediately captivated by her beauty.

She blinked her beautiful eyes, and the next second, she immediately threw herself into someone's arms.

Chi Zhao casually hugged him.

"Slow down, what if you fall?"

Her words carried a hint of admonition, and Shen Yan'an pouted somewhat displeased, "Isn't it because you're here that you won't let me fall?"

He felt incredibly at ease whenever he was with the person he loved.

Chi Zhao glanced at the person helplessly, "You finally get to go out and have some fun, aren't you going to go see your friends?"

She noticed that the other young men had already gone out in groups to enjoy the scenery.

Only Shen Yan'an refused to go, turning down several friends who came specifically to see him. After everyone left, he turned around and called her into the house.

Shen Yan'an's eyes sparkled brightly as she sat beside her beloved, playing with her fingers. Her voice was soft and sweet, "I don't want to play with anyone else. I want to stay with you. We didn't even talk yesterday..."

His voice was filled with resentment again.

They were busy packing yesterday and didn't have a chance to talk to each other.

"You're a princess and I'm a guard. Isn't it normal for us to stay silent all day?"

"Well, I want to talk to you."

The little girl was clingy. After saying that, she snuggled up to her and tried to hold her hand, but Chi Zhao gently dodged her.

Shen Yan'an glared at her angrily.

Chi Zhao was helpless. She couldn't marry Shen Yan'an yet, so she couldn't get too close to him. Given her husband's tendency to take advantage of her, if he held her hand casually today, he would be secretly kissing her tomorrow.

"You should go out for a walk tomorrow. It's not good to stay cooped up in the yard all day.

Because she hadn't managed to hold hands, Shen Yan'an's voice was a little muffled, "Then will you come out with me?"

"Okay, I'll lead the horse for you."

"Okay, then I'll go out and take a look."

Upon hearing that Chi Zhao wanted to accompany him, Shen Yan'an finally reluctantly agreed.

System 99 was picking up candy from the broken glass and eating it. It did this in the early stages of every world; it was used to it. As long as System 99 didn't starve to death, it would be fine.

It was already evening, and everyone assumed that Shen Yan'an was just tired from the journey since he didn't go out, after all, everyone knew that Xiao Junzi was not in good health.

Princess Qing also kindly ordered someone to bring her a hot meal.

The palace only had one kitchen, and everyone had to eat there. In the cold winter, most officials' families received their food, which was already cold. However, Princess Qing couldn't bear to see her son eat cold food, so she cut in line for him and got him some hot food.

There was only one master in the courtyard, Shen Yan'an, so he gazed longingly at his beloved.

"I can't finish it."

"Okay, then eat slowly."

Her words were displeasing. Shen Yan'an, who was already unhappy about not being able to hold hands, puffed out his cheeks and looked angry. He had been pampered since he was a child, and even though he knew he had to be patient and not expose their relationship too early, he couldn't keep enduring it. Now, he felt dissatisfied and insisted that Chi Zhao have dinner with him.

If Chi Zhao doesn't eat, then he won't eat either.

The young girl puffed out her cheeks and turned her back to the person.

Chi Zhao tried to coax him a couple of times, and the servant, trembling with fear of being discovered, tried to coax him a couple more times, but he said he wouldn't eat and that was it.

Only when she noticed someone sitting down next to her did Xiaojunzi happily turn her head, her beautiful eyes blinking.

Chi Zhao sighed helplessly, "How can you be so good at acting cute?"

"Hmph, if you don't want to care about me, then no matter how much I plead, it won't work."

She clearly likes him too, but can't bear to part with him.

whee.

Chi Zhao was speechless for a moment, and opened his mouth but could not refute it.

That makes sense.

Oh well, I'll treat myself to a nice meal.

She considered every meal with Shen Yan'an a reward.

After all, the food eaten by the princess was different from what servants like her ate, and it tasted delicious.

After the two finished their meal, Chi Zhao continued to stand guard outside the county gate, while the young county girl opened the window and leaned against it to secretly watch them.

With each glance, I would lower my head and chuckle to myself.

How could he have found such a wonderful wife?

She's both capable and kind to him, hehe.

Although I tend to have a cold expression.

Chi Zhao felt uncomfortable being stared at from behind for so long. A gust of cold wind blew by, and Shen Yan'an suddenly coughed.

She frowned, looking displeased, and said, "Turn back, don't stick your head out in the wind. Your usual imperial physician didn't come along this time. If you get sick, you'll suffer."

Shen Yan'an knew something was wrong the moment he couldn't hold back his cough. After being scolded, he lowered his head guiltily, but still whispered in defense, "There were other imperial physicians with me, it's alright..."

"Didn't you say you only brought two imperial physicians with you this time? There are so many masters, but only two imperial physicians. Winter hunting is dangerous, and the imperial physicians will be too busy to treat everyone, let alone take care of you."

Shen Yan'an, however, did not see it that way. He puffed out his chest, looking rather smug. "My mother is the daughter of Prince Qing. Who dares not to punish me first!"

In this life, his husband is well taken care of, and his family and relatives love him.

Chi Zhao had hoped that he could have such a happy and fulfilling family, but he never expected that such a happy and fulfilling family would raise him to have this kind of personality.

After reading the plot, her first thought was that Yan Zhou's ending in this life was not a bad one; it was all due to her own love-struck mind.

"You're happy now that you've taken the medicine? Hurry up and go inside."

Chi Zhao ignored his words and snapped at him, which weakened Shen Yan'an's momentum.

He pouted, "Okay, okay."

Then one person sat in the room and asked someone to open the door a crack so he could peek out.

The next morning, just as Chi Zhao was practicing the martial arts manual that the system had obtained for her through back channels, Shen Yan'an jumped out of the house dressed in her best.

He almost jumped into Chi Zhao's arms, still wearing a snow-white robe, his long black hair loosely tied up with a white jade hairpin, simple yet beautiful.

"Chi Zhao, you promised to go for a walk with me today."

Xiao Junzi was also getting restless.

Chi Zhao had originally told him to go out and have more fun, so naturally he wouldn't go back on his word. He immediately put away his broadsword and prepared to go out with him.

Xiao Junzi knew a lot about the arrangements for the winter hunt, and she told Chi Zhao about them in detail along the way.

For example, in the morning, the princess and princes and ministers would go hunting in the forest, and most of the officials and their families who participated in the winter hunt would also go.

Chi Zhao frowned. "Then you're too late?"

Shen Yan'an shook his head, "No, I'm not feeling well. My aunt, the Emperor, has told me I don't need to go and that I should just rest."

So that's how it is.

"Do you want to go take a look now?"

"No, if I go there I won't be able to talk to you."

"Why are you getting more and more clingy?"

At first it was alright, but later she couldn't help but soften her attitude towards him, and he became more and more demanding and clingy.

Sensing a hint of coldness from his beloved, Shen Yan'an was extremely perceptive and quickly turned his head, saying, "You're not allowed to be mean to me!"

Chi Zhao raised an eyebrow as he led the horse. "When did you become so fierce, Princess? Do you enjoy slandering people like this?"

Junzi looked at the other person suspiciously, "Then smile."

Chi Zhao: A forced smile.

Shen Yan'an: !

He immediately became anxious, "You're not allowed to laugh like that! You have to, you have to laugh genuinely, just like you laugh at Gu Zhixing. You're not allowed to laugh at me like that anymore. You can only laugh like that at other people!"

Shen Yan'an was so anxious that he spoke incoherently and even brought up old grievances.

As luck would have it, Gu Zhixing and Lu Mingwei weren't participating in today's hunt; they were having a "secret rendezvous" on the sidelines.

Listen to this sentence clearly.

The two looked at each other, somewhat bewildered.

In the end, Gu Zhixing, who had been severely scolded that day, couldn't hold back and raised his voice, "I wondered what he had done to anger the princess so much, but it turns out it was just because Miss Chi smiled at me."

It startled the two of them.

Lu Mingwei and Gu Zhixing had already smacked them when they got back that day. As a stable girl, she dared to reach out and cover her mistress's mouth, and her mistress didn't get angry and shake her off, which clearly showed that they had a close relationship.

The two hurried over, and Chi Zhao quickly took three steps back to bow, "Lord Lu, Young Master Gu."

Shen Yan'an still disliked Gu Zhixing as always, because Chi Zhao didn't smile at him at first, but smiled at Gu Zhixing instead.

Therefore, when the two arrived, he pretended not to see them and looked away, not even bothering to dismount his horse.

This was the first time Lu Mingwei had been ignored by the young lady, and she found it rather novel.

She looked Chi Zhao up and down twice more, and couldn't help but think to herself, "He dares to even lay a finger on Shen Yan'an, what a brave man."

In her eyes, Shen Yan'an's affectation and unreasonable behavior were simply unbearable.