Daughter of the King of Qi

Xiao Chengyan!!

Gu Jinghong subconsciously looked up and saw Xiao Chengyan, dressed in a dark-colored casual robe, standing not far away, accompanied by the Duke of Zhenguo, Gongsun Lie, and his son, Gongsun Cheyuan, staring intently at Xie Yan's hand.

Xie Yan remained calm and slowly withdrew his hand, offering a forced smile: "My sworn sister is unwell, so I'm just expressing my concern."

Gu Jinghong felt a sudden pang of guilt and almost instinctively leaned back, creating some distance between herself and Xie Yan. The momentary relaxation on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold and aloof expression.

The attempt to cover it up only makes it more obvious...

Xiao Chengyan's gaze remained fixed on Gu Jinghong.

“Gu Jinghong, Xie Yan…” His voice was steady, but each word carried immense weight, “It is such a coincidence.”

Before he could finish speaking, Xie Yan looked up and met Xiao Chengyan's gaze, their eyes seemingly locked in a tense standoff.

Feeling the oppressive atmosphere, Xie Yan subconsciously lowered his eyes to avoid Xiao Chengyan's gaze, coughed awkwardly, and stood up.

Seeing this, Gu Jinghong also stood up and bowed to Xiao Chengyan.

Xiao Chengyan looked back at Gu Jinghong, his brows furrowing deeper, his eyes filled with unwavering doubt: "You've been drinking?"

He pondered for a moment, then summoned the innkeeper who was waiting nearby and instructed him, "If I want this room, then remove the screens from both of these rooms. Since we've met by chance, having a seat between us will save you from having to lower your voices when you have important matters to discuss."

Upon hearing this, everyone around raised an eyebrow.

—Aren't we supposed to have important matters to discuss? Shouldn't it be more convenient to "talk behind closed doors"? What does "talking it out" even mean?

Everyone had their own calculations, but no one contradicted Xiao Chengyan; they all did as he asked.

With the screen removed, the two private rooms were almost connected, meaning that their upcoming conversation would be almost entirely open to Gu Jinghong and Xie Yan, and vice versa.

Xiao Chengyan turned around and sat down in the private room, back to back with Gu Jinghong. Gongsun Lie glanced at Xiao Chengyan meaningfully, then led Gongsun Lie to sit down.

Gu Jinghong felt a chill seeping into her back.

Perhaps she was too hot and craved something cool and refreshing.

Her fingertips curled slightly, and under the cover of her drooping sleeves, she quietly reached behind her... The rough touch, the faint scars and calluses, it was definitely his hand.

Gu Jinghong understood and then reached out her finger to hook Xiao Chengyan's palm.

A slight itch spread through Xiao Chengyan's palm, reaching straight to his heart.

He didn't understand why Gu Jinghong suddenly wanted to drink today, but he knew she must have encountered something, and she wouldn't drink unless the situation was special.

But when she needed someone to be with her so much, why was it Xie Yan?

Just then, she felt a ticklish sensation in her palm. Her fingertips scratched a few times like a helpless cat, and when he didn't move, she scratched a few more times. Just as she was about to pull away, his five fingers suddenly closed, locking her cool and soft hand firmly in his palm.

Its joints are clearly defined, and its body is long and strong.

The two men's hands comforted each other beneath Xiao Chengyan's wide sleeves, their unspoken understanding unspoken.

Gongsun Lie brought his only son and the Prince together today for two reasons. First, he wanted his son to develop a closer relationship with Xiao Chengyan and learn more from him. Second, he had heard that His Majesty intended to marry a daughter of a Duke's family to Xiao Chengyan, and his beloved daughter, Gongsun Jinyao, had just come of age.

If we can turn hostility into friendship with Xiao Chengyan, that would be ideal.

After all, it seems that his nephew Xiao Chengming is ultimately not up to the task.

Gongsun Lie raised his cup, his face beaming: "Your Highness, let me first offer you a toast. This war in the southwest was fraught with difficulties. Although it seems to be over now, the subsequent appeasement and institutional establishment are of paramount importance. If we appoint the wrong people, or allow certain... unstable forces to intervene, I fear that trouble may arise again."

Xiao Chengyan's lips curled slightly, but his gaze was sharp as a knife as he replied to Gongsun Lie: "Your Excellency is overthinking it. The most important thing in employing people is to be single-minded, and the worst thing is to be indecisive. Once you have chosen this path, you should be single-minded. If you still think about your former master, or associate too closely with shady people, that is the way to bring disaster upon yourself."

As he spoke, he tightened his grip on Gu Jinghong's hand slightly.

Gu Jinghong was somewhat confused—what did he mean? Was he warning her? Or was he forbidding her from drinking?

She pursed her lips, secretly exerting force to try and pull her hand out of Xiao Chengyan's grasp, her tone perfectly calm: "Xie Yan, your concerns just now are not without merit. Our promise must be kept. The matter of enrollment needs to be finalized as soon as possible. We must select reliable teachers and ensure that the students achieve success."

Xiao Chengyan held Gu Jinghong's hand firmly, without letting up in the slightest.

Gongsun Lie then said, "This old minister has been overthinking things. Your Highness is a powerful figure in the southwest, and you will naturally consider such a trivial matter thoroughly."

Xiao Chengyan rubbed Gu Jinghong's hand back and forth with his thumb for a while, soothing him gently. He then smiled slightly and said, "What the Duke said earlier is not without reason. If one's foundation is not stable, one is easily misled. Some people think they are clever and can get along with everyone, but they don't know that in the face of real power, they are just like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinghong grabbed Xiao Chengyan's hand and squeezed it tightly.

He then picked up the wine jug with his other hand, took another sip of wine, and then put the jug down with a "thud." He pointed to a spot on the blueprint and said, "This area needs reinforcement, otherwise it won't be strong enough. If we're going to do it, we have to do it to the best of our ability, without any room for error or hesitation."

As Xiao Chengyan felt Gu Jinghong's increasing pressure on his hand, for some reason, the anger in his heart was not as intense as before.

After all, she was a woman. Even though she tried her best, her hands were small, delicate, light, and soft. The feeling was more like tickling him. Occasionally, she would use some internal energy, but Xiao Chengyan could melt away all of it.

"The canal is the lifeline of the army, and the route must be secure. It must not be entrusted to others, especially... those of unknown origin and with ambiguous stances."

Gongsun Lie nodded repeatedly.

Just then, a clear and lively female voice came from downstairs: "Daddy, brother! Are you here too?"

Gu Jinghong raised an eyebrow slightly, looked at Xie Yan, and her eyes suddenly regained their clarity—Gongsun Jinyao?

In just a moment, a pretty and bright young girl dressed in a pale yellow dress skipped upstairs. She was none other than Gongsun Jinyao, the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo.

She spotted Xiao Chengyan's private room at a glance, a bright smile spreading across her face. Without waiting for an announcement, she pushed open the door and entered: "Brother Chengyan! Uh... This humble woman greets Your Highness Prince Jin!"

Her little face was flushed, and she suddenly sat down next to Gongsun Lie, leaning against Gongsun Cheye's chest, her voice sweet and coquettish: "Daddy~"

A glint flashed in Gongsun Lie's eyes, and he let out a hearty laugh, raising his cup to Xiao Chengyan and saying, "Your Highness, please forgive my rudeness. It's my daughter, Jinyao, who has been spoiled by me and has no manners."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more candid, "However, my daughter has also come of age this year. His Majesty recently inquired about her, saying that the marriage of the eldest daughter of the Duke's family is a matter of great importance and should not be taken lightly. As a subject, I naturally leave everything to His Majesty and... His Highness's wishes."

!!

Your Highness's feelings...

Xiao Chengyan felt the hand in his palm turn from scorching hot to icy cold in an instant, and the force that had been pulling him back and forth seemed to disappear abruptly.

He subconsciously clenched his fingers, the force steady and deliberate.

—Ah Hong, listen to me.

But Gu Jinghong seemed to feel nothing at all.

The surrounding noise, Xie Yan's probing gaze, and even the scorching heat from the back of her hand all blurred in her perception. She only felt a surge of icy anger mixed with indescribable bitterness rushing from the bottom of her heart to the top of her head, making her vision slightly black.

"The Duke of Zhenguo should know that what I hate most is someone making decisions for me."

The voice was soft, but the warning was clear.

The private room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; everyone understood King Jin's refusal. Only Gu Jinghong seemed to be inside a transparent dome, isolated from all sound.

Her hands were still icy cold. Xiao Chengyan squeezed them again, but still felt no reaction.

Just as he was about to turn around to look at her, Gu Jinghong suddenly came to her senses, struggled to break free from his hand, and slammed her palm on the long table in front of her.

"Bang--"

The cups and saucers rattled, and the wine splashed everywhere.

Everyone turned to look at Gu Jinghong in shock.

She suddenly stood up, her face deathly pale, her beautiful eyes burning with a cold flame, her voice hoarse yet sharp.

"This is outrageous! Those parasites are truly insatiable, daring to sabotage and threaten people in secret!"

Xie Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, and replied in an instant, "Ah Hong, I know those bastards are outrageous. When I have time to go to the Southwest, I will definitely teach them a lesson!"

His response was perfectly tactful, yet Xiao Chengyan understood it perfectly.

He suddenly stood up, his tall figure exuding an imposing aura. As he turned around, all attention fell on Gu Jinghong's bloodless face.

She was furious, her dazed eyes slightly red.

Xiao Chengyan knew those eyes all too well. He knew that her habit was to retaliate with anger, and beneath that anger lay a hidden fragility.

His heart skipped a beat, his brows furrowed, his hands clenched tightly beneath his wide sleeves, and the jealousy and amusement that had been in his eyes earlier vanished completely.

“Jinghong, even if it’s a huge matter, there’s no need to get so worked up. Your old injuries haven’t healed yet, and the imperial physicians have repeatedly told you to rest and avoid drinking alcohol or getting emotional. If this affects your internal energy, wouldn’t all the previous treatments be in vain?”

Everyone present, except Xie Yan, was stunned. They had known before that the maid named Gu Jinghong had received a comment from Prince Jin that she was "somewhat different," but they did not expect her to be so "somewhat different"—so different that he could put aside Gongsun Lie and care about her, so different that he could turn a blind eye to her rudeness and even care about her health.

Could these two be...?

As everyone gathered around, Xiao Chengyan's hand was already on Gu Jinghong's arm.

He didn't give Gu Jinghong a chance to struggle at all; with just a little force, he was in a semi-forced manner of being dragged away.

“Duke,” he then turned to Gongsun Lie, “Gu Jinghong is unwell, and I must immediately escort her back to her residence for treatment. Let's leave it at that. As for your daughter…”

His gaze swept lightly over the bewildered Gongsun Jinyao, finally settling on Gongsun Lie's face: "The eldest daughter of a duke, of noble status, has her marriage decided by the Emperor's own will. I have neither the will nor the power to interfere with His Majesty's wishes."

"Farewell."

Without saying another word, Xiao Chengyan took Gu Jinghong's hand and led her quickly downstairs.

Gongsun Jingyao, standing to the side, felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She wiped away tears and rubbed against Gongsun Lie's clothes, saying, "Father, look! That slut is so unruly. Could it be... could it be that they've already..."

"Yaoyao, don't talk nonsense." Gongsun Cheyuan's eyes were still on Gu Jinghong. "Prince Jin is a prince, he is used to standing on the cloud, and he is also a military man. It is not unusual for him to protect a maid in the mansion."

That's what they said, but Gongsun Cheyuan also felt that something was wrong.

But Gongsun Lie looked at the two of them and thought about something else entirely—Xiao Chengyan had always been cold-hearted and indifferent, but his attention to this girl was beyond imagination. Shouldn't Xiao Chengyan like Yongning? Even if he didn't get married at this age, it should be for her sake... Could this girl actually be the daughter of the Prince of Qi from back then?