So sticky

The two had just snuggled together when they suddenly heard a knock at the door. It was Changfeng's voice: "Your Highness, Your Highness."

Xiao Chengyan didn't reply, but his gaze suddenly sharpened—how utterly clueless!

Gu Jinghong nudged him, signaling him to reply.

Upon receiving the instruction, Xiao Chengyan spoke coldly after a moment: "What is it?"

"Your Highness, I just went downstairs and saw someone who looks like... Zhao Qian's men."

Gu Jinghong took the opportunity to nudge Xiao Chengyan: "Your Highness, important matters are at hand."

Xiao Chengyan looked at Gu Jinghong: "Don't you need me to accompany you?"

Gu Jinghong nodded.

She's still that sensible little girl... Xiao Chengyan stroked Gu Jinghong's head: "I'll be right back."

Upon arriving at Changfeng's room, Xiao Chengyan lowered his voice and asked, "What is it that you must report now?"

Xiao Chengyan had a vague feeling that something was wrong, because he had already told Changfeng that there was no need to hide anything from Gu Jinghong. If Changfeng was still deliberately lying to Gu Jinghong, there was only one reason—it was related to her identity.

This is why, even with a beautiful woman in his arms, he was still determined to leave.

But when he emerged, it wasn't just his will that was firm.

Changfeng immediately bowed, his gaze sweeping over the prince's imposing figure. He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice with a solemn expression.

“Your Highness, please calm down. When I went to stop those merchants downstairs, I encountered a man on the way. Although he was dressed as a merchant, the calluses on his hands were thick, and his gait was definitely not that of an ordinary merchant. He seemed more like… someone who had practiced martial arts for many years and was skilled in short weapons. Upon closer inspection, I saw a very faint ink embroidery pattern on the corner of his inner garment that he had inadvertently revealed. It was the kind of pattern that only assassins from the Hidden Abyss Pavilion would use!”

Xiao Chengyan's eyes narrowed suddenly, and all his romantic thoughts vanished instantly.

The assassins of Qianyuan Pavilion are under Xie Yan's jurisdiction... but Xie Yan would never want to kill Gu Jinghong. The only explanation is that... Qianyuan Pavilion can no longer tolerate Gu Jinghong and Xie Yan.

Xiao Chengyan paced back and forth, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Who is in charge of this ship?"

Changfeng had obviously already found out and immediately replied, "Your Highness, it is Sun Miao, the Inspector of the Jinjiang Branch under the Grand Canal Transport Office."

“Sun Miao?” Xiao Chengyan felt the name sounded familiar. After a moment’s thought, his brows furrowed deeply. “Is he the Sun Miao who was dismissed from the Ministry of War a few years ago for making a mistake due to alcoholism, and then somehow managed to get into the Grand Canal Transport Office through some connections?”

“It is indeed this person.” Changfeng nodded. “It is said that… he later climbed the social ladder through the Duke of Zhenguo’s connections, which is how he got this lucrative position as the canal inspector.”

"Duke Zhenguo..." Xiao Chengyan repeated these three words in a low voice, his mind racing.

The Duke of Zhenguo, a meritorious official of the state, held a prestigious position and wielded considerable influence in the court. Traces of the Qianyuan Pavilion appeared on the ship carrying his trusted confidants…

This is no coincidence.

An official promoted by the Duke of Zhenguo to oversee the grain transport in a region found that the merchant ships under his jurisdiction became the hiding place for members of the most mysterious organization in the martial arts world.

Xiao Chengyan's gaze grew colder and colder, as if a layer of frost had formed over it.

If... it's not a coincidence, then there's only one possibility left—

There is some unknown connection between the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and Qianyuan Pavilion!

This thought, like a cold bolt of lightning, cleaved through the fog, instantly connecting many seemingly unrelated things to him.

Why is the Qianyuan Pavilion so powerful, well-informed, and secretive, that even the Imperial Investigation Department could not detect it? If it is protected or colluded with such a powerful noble family, then everything makes sense!

Xiao Chengyan suddenly stood up.

"Changfeng, double the manpower to secretly guard this ship, especially Ah Hong's room. Anyone suspicious who approaches must be killed on sight!"

"Yes!" Changfeng accepted the order.

"Furthermore," Xiao Chengyan walked to the window, looking at the deep night and the rolling river outside, "immediately send a letter back to the capital, ordering our people to secretly investigate all the Zhenguo Duke's mansion's open and covert businesses and personnel changes over the past ten years, especially any clues related to Jianghu forces or canal bandits! It must be top secret!"

"Understood!"

After Changfeng left, Xiao Chengyan stood alone by the window, the moonlight casting a long shadow of his tall figure.

Beyond the conflicts of the martial world, there are the nobles and officials of the imperial court... Although Xiao Chengyan is young, he has dealt with the Duke of Zhenguo for many years and naturally knows what kind of two-faced and despicable person he is.

He had a strange intuition that if he wanted to extricate Gu Jinghong from her situation and allow her to live peacefully as his princess, then the Duke of Zhenguo, Sun Lie, was definitely an obstacle he had to overcome.

The current situation is very unfavorable, and it is clear that Gongsun Lie had planned this all along.

...

On the other side of the merchant ship, Gu Jinghong leaned against the couch, her long eyelashes drooping, concealing all emotions in her eyes.

She clenched her fingers tightly into her palm, causing a fine layer of cold sweat to seep from her forehead, making her face appear even paler and more translucent under the light.

When Xiao Chengyan entered the room again, he only saw Gu Jinghong's pale and translucent face waiting below.

He quickly went over and took her hand in his palm.

It felt delicate yet icy cold to the touch. His brows furrowed, his eyes filled with heartache: "How did it suddenly become so serious? It was perfectly fine just now?"

Gu Jinghong's voice was weak, trembling slightly with a hint of pain, "Your Highness... this ship is rocking violently, and I feel nauseous."

"Changfeng! Get ashore immediately, find the nearest clean inn, and fetch a doctor!"

"Yes!" Changfeng responded and left from outside the door.

Everything went smoothly, and he never doubted her.

They booked the best private courtyard at the inn, and Xiao Chengyan personally carried her down from the carriage and settled her on the soft bed.

Soon, the doctor arrived.

He looked at Gu Jinghong lying on the couch, his face showing worry: "I suppose this is the young lady?"

Changfeng stretched out his hand: "Yes, please have the doctor examine me carefully."

The doctor put the medicine box aside, then covered Gu Jinghong's wrist with a handkerchief, taking her pulse as if carefully observing her pulse.

His gaze flickered, only returning to Gu Jinghong's face for a fleeting moment before he withdrew his hand and sat down to write medical records.

Changfeng asked, "How did it go?"

While writing the prescription, the doctor said, "It's alright, young lady. You've just caught a cold and are tired from the journey. Just follow the prescription, get the medicine, boil it down to one bowl with three bowls of water, drink it twice a day, and you'll be better in less than two days."

As he spoke, Changfeng seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and turned to look at Xiao Chengyan.

But Xiao Chengyan's expression remained calm, revealing neither good nor bad.

Changfeng hesitated, took the prescription, and glanced at Xiao Chengyan.

Xiao Chengyan said, "Take good care of the doctor."

Changfeng replied, "Yes."

The room fell silent for a moment. Xiao Chengyan walked to the edge of Gu Jinghong's bed and sat down, looking down at her pale face.

Memories flooded back.

At that moment, the Fourth Prince Xiao slapped away the rice cake that A Ning had given him. A Ning immediately burst into tears, but she didn't say anything and went back on her own.

When the Fourth Prince saw her tears, he felt a pang of sympathy. After all, it was just a little girl's kind gesture, which he slapped away with his hand.

He only picked up the rice cake from the ground after he finished kneeling as punishment.

He looked up again at the wall where the little girl had appeared, then patted the rice cake clean, put it in his pocket, and left.

The next day, the Fourth Prince Xiao came to the wall again, but the little girl was not there.

On the third day, the Fourth Prince Xiao came again, but the little girl was still not there.

...

Ten days passed in this way, until the Fourth Prince Xiao was once again punished by his father to kneel here because of his studies. Only then did he realize that he was hearing a familiar "giggle" laugh not far above his head.

The Fourth Prince Xiao suddenly raised his head.

On that familiar wall, half a small head peeked out. She was still wearing a lotus-colored dress, with two small buns in her hair, and her eyebrows were raised.

The little girl sat there, her small hand covering her mouth, her eyes curving into beautiful crescents, sparkling with a mischievous and bright light. A faint red mole appeared at the end of her eyebrow, and she looked at him with a grin.

"Brother, what did you do wrong again? You're being punished by kneeling again?"

Her voice had a slightly awkward, childlike quality. She swung her legs and spoke with a rather smug tone, as if... all her "ten days of hibernation" had been for this day!

The Fourth Prince Xiao understood instantly.

She may have been there the whole time!

She might be hiding in that ginkgo tree outside the wall, secretly watching me as I come to look around and wait every day.

She saw everything, which is why she was laughing so happily.

This girl was as sensitive and shrewd as a fox... unlike anyone he had ever met in the palace.

Before Xiao Chengyan could think much about it, the little girl climbed down from the tree, and even stood on tiptoe to take a leaf off Xiao Chengyan's head, then looked around.

A moment later, the little girl stopped in front of him, her big eyes blinking as she looked at him: "Brother, do your knees hurt? There's no one around now, so you don't have to kneel."

Xiao Chengyan looked at her, but remained unmoved.

The little girl said, "Huh... Brother, can't you speak? Or did I not explain myself clearly?"

She tried her best to match the gestures, pointing her delicate little finger at Xiao Chengyan's knee, and frowned, "Brother, I mean... it hurts..."

Then she pulled his arm and said, "...Get up."

Xiao Chengyan glanced at the little girl's hand holding his arm, and surprisingly, he didn't act rashly. Instead, he deliberately kept a straight face and said, "I can hear and I can speak."

The little girl paused for a moment, then giggled again.

It turned out that her "cold and aloof" appearance did not frighten her at all; instead, she chirped incessantly like a little bird.

"Brother, what's your name?"

"Brother, let's play hide-and-seek!"

"Brother, shall we have a race to see who can climb to the top of the tree first?"

"Brother, I can't reach that fruit, can you pick it for me?"

"elder brother……"

No one had ever been as unassociated with Xiao Chengyan as Ah Ning was with any royal identity, and no one had ever been so genuine in front of her.

She was the first ray of light to shine into his heart, and... the only ray.

...

Gu Jinghong turned over, and Xiao Chengyan suddenly came to his senses.

She seemed to have really fallen asleep, her breathing gradually becoming even and long, but her brows were still slightly furrowed, revealing a hint of discomfort.

Xiao Chengyan tidied her hair and then sat there quietly.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door, and the innkeeper brought in the prepared medicine.

Xiao Chengyan tested the temperature himself before gently calling her, "Ah Hong, get up, drink your medicine, and then go back to sleep."

Gu Jinghong opened her eyes groggily, glanced at the medicine bowl, then frowned and waved her hand, saying, "I don't want to drink it."

Xiao Chengyan said, "Good boy, you still have to take your medicine."

"Then... coat it with sugar."

"Someone come here..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Jinghong reached out and covered Xiao Chengyan's mouth, saying, "Jinghong wants Your Highness to wrap it up."