Chapter 118 The Handsome Scholar But these past two days, besides the Emperor, I've only seen that…
But these past two days, apart from the Emperor, he has only met with those ministers. Has anyone spoken to him about anything?
Jiang Zhuoying took a slow breath, her voice extremely soft: "Crown Prince, are you... alright?"
Qi Fan met her clearly incredulous and questioning gaze, and fell silent for a moment.
It was indeed something my father mentioned casually.
Apart from Qi Yan, all the descendants of the Qi family were cold-hearted and taciturn.
Other things are one thing, but when it comes to romantic relationships, if one remains so taciturn, it might backfire.
Moreover, his crown princess is still young and has a sharp mind, so she always comes up with some fresh ideas.
The man lowered his eyelashes slightly, concealing the deep meaning in his eyes.
Jiang Zhuoying waited quietly for a few moments, then suddenly realized what was going on...
What is she doing?
This guy finally said something like that, and she's questioning it?
Upon thinking of this, Jiang Zhuoying immediately grabbed the man's large hand in return. She held both of his hands at the same time, her face flushed, and spoke cautiously.
“A-Zhuo understands her husband’s feelings.”
The man's dark, cold eyes flickered slightly.
“A-Zhuo is very happy with all of these today.” She glanced around at the things in front of her, all of which were the things that Chu Yixin and the others had just brought.
“Your Highness is a man of your word. Now that you’ve said it, you must keep it.”
Jiang Zhuoying winked at him, her words carrying a hidden meaning.
The man's taut jawline softened, and he nodded slightly, his expression no longer as unpredictable as before.
Jiang Zhuoying happily pulled his arm to get up, and Qi Fan sat down beside her.
"Oh dear, Your Highness should have said so earlier. You almost made Ah Zhu misunderstand the Crown Prince."
"A-Zhuo is so lucky to be able to marry the Crown Prince."
"My brother, the Crown Prince, treats A-Zhu so well..."
The man glanced at her, not mentioning a word about her recent complaint about how "life is so hard," and simply enjoyed this hard-won moment.
His crown princess hadn't been this docile and submissive in front of him for a long time, although this sudden display of docility and submissiveness might not last even a moment.
...
Jiang Zhuoying made a small snowman while wearing a hand warmer. It looked rough and clumsy, and after a few casual glances, she quickly lost interest.
She took off the hand warmer and felt that her hands were a little cold.
With a slight glance up, one could see a figure not far away, intently reviewing memorials.
"Your Highness?"
The man paused slightly, his gaze shifting to the bedroom at the other end of the west wing, where a screen blocked his view.
Qi Fan cleared his throat: "What is it?"
"Your Highness, could you please bring over my storybook?"
Qi Fan glanced at the stack of books piled on the desk beside him, and casually picked up the top book, "After the Eldest Princess Elopes with a Guard," with his long, slender fingers.
Even with his usual composure, he couldn't help but let his lips twitch slightly. He casually flipped through a few pages and closed his eyes.
"Bring that whole stack over."
"Thank you, my husband~"
The clear, sweet voice continued, and Qi Fan knew that she couldn't wait any longer.
If we don't satisfy her demands as soon as possible, she'll probably throw a tantrum in no time.
Her gaze shifted to the stack of storybooks, and she began to read them one by one.
"The Little Princess Elopes with a Guard", "The Powerful Eunuch is Actually My Husband", "The Enemy Princess in the General's Tent", "After the Imperial Concubine Forcefully Kisses the Cold and Aloof Imperial Tutor"...
The man's face grew increasingly numb until the last book, "The Romantic Prince and the Charming Scholar (Part Two)".
Qi Fan narrowed his eyes slightly; the cover of this storybook was even more exquisite than the others.
Moreover, the combination of the words "prince" and "scholar" easily challenged his senses.
...
Jiang Zhuoying craned her neck and waited a few more breaths, but still couldn't see that guy.
Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper. She pursed her lips and sobbed twice, "I was wrong. I was so audacious as to trouble His Highness the Crown Prince, who is so busy with state affairs. Even if I am not feeling well, I will still take it myself."
Before she could finish speaking, a figure appeared behind the screen, and Jiang Zhuoying immediately curled her lips into a smile.
Qi Fan's fingers were long and slender; he could easily hold the stack of storybooks she brought in his hand.
The gold-threaded boots stopped in front of the bed in the blink of an eye, and the man placed the stack of storybooks he was holding on the quilt.
"The Crown Princess is well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics and is proficient in poetry and prose. She truly has discerning eyes and a unique aesthetic sense."
Jiang Zhuoying looked up at him, but didn't argue. She then looked down to find what she wanted to see.
These storybooks were originally on that desk, and she never intended to hide them from him.
What is commonplace can be elegant; as long as one can find enjoyment in it, what's wrong with that?
She searched everywhere, but couldn't find the book she wanted to read.
"Crown Prince, have you forgotten something?"
Jiang Zhuoying looked up, frowned, and reminded him, her voice quite displeased.
"A-Zhu wants this one?"
The man pulled his arm away from behind his back, and what he was holding in his hand was exactly what Jiang Zhuoying wanted.
She nodded, her eyes shining: "Exactly!"
This was quite novel; it was arguably the first storybook on the market to depict homosexuality, and it sold out immediately upon release.
Jiang Zhuoying had already read the first volume, and Xiangyue had bought this second volume from a peddler at a high price.
She leaned forward to take it, but the man suddenly put his arm behind his back.
Jiang Zhuoying frowned: "?"
"Recently, the maidservant beside you has been treating Pei Yun rather strangely."
"Xiangyue?" She's the only one who can be in contact with Pei Yun.
Jiang Zhuoying tilted her head back even higher: "Is there anything unusual?"
The man stared into her eyes, his expression unreadable: "I recently transferred Xie Ling back to my side."
Jiang Zhuoying nodded.
She knew about this. A few days ago at the Crown Prince's residence, Guard Xie was so shocked that he was speechless when he first saw her.
"Xie Ling and Fei Ying are already engaged, but your maid..." The man frowned as he spoke, his expression somewhat inscrutable.
After hearing all this, Jiang Zhuoying slowly covered her face.
Xiangyue noticed that Xie Ling and Pei Yun were always together, and their personalities were quite different—one cold and the other warm. She must have been recalling certain scenes from that storybook.
"...This caused Xie Ling and Pei Yun considerable distress."
Xie Ling was naturally afraid that Fei Ying would overthink things, and as for Pei Yun, he was even more at a loss for words.
"Now that things have come to this, Pei Yun begs me to tell you something."
Jiang Zhuoying was thinking of talking to Xiangyue about this later, and upon hearing this, she casually replied, "What is it?"
"He was willing to give up all his wealth to marry Xiangyue."
"...Your Highness knows that I am not the kind of master who forces servants. Moreover, Xiangyue is not a servant to me. This matter is for her to decide."
Qi Fan nodded slightly: "Mm."
Jiang Zhuoying's gaze gradually shifted to the arm he was holding behind his back. Just as she was about to reach out and grab it, Chu Yixin's shrill voice came from outside the door again.
"My lord? All the ministers have entered the palace. Shouldn't you set off now?"
Jiang Zhuoying quickly chimed in, "Important matters come first, Your Highness, please go quickly. I'll have a good talk with Xiangyue later."
This was part of the plan, and Jiang Lang would be given some new information based on the current situation. That's why several ministers were summoned to the palace yesterday, and they came again today.
The man stared at her: "As long as I'm not around, Ah Liu will stay by your side and record your actions."
He made it clear, and he also brought the matter to the forefront.
This booklet is not only for his eyes, but also for the imperial physician to examine.
Jiang Zhuoying naturally agreed. Although being constantly monitored was not a pleasant experience, she was sensible.
The man reached out and ruffled her hair, then leaned down to kiss her lips. After a brief, tender kiss, he pulled away, his voice hoarse.
"A-Zhuo was very well-behaved today."
Jiang Zhuoying's ears instantly turned red, her earlobes burning and blushing, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with him like this.
Qi Fansheng was exactly what she wanted, except that he was a bit cold and hard, a bit serious, a bit taciturn, and only interested in the little things in bed.
But today... it's like he's a completely different person.
Jiang Zhuoying bit her lip lightly, somewhat dazed.
She didn't realize what was happening until Xuanqing's robes disappeared through the doorway and several maids entered one after another.
This guy stole her copy of "The Romantic Prince and the Charming Scholar (Part Two)"?!
...
With several maids laughing and joking around, and playing palace chess with Jiang Zhuoying, the time passed relatively quickly.
After she finished her dinner on the couch, she glanced a few times at Ah Liu, who was writing furiously with a sheep's hair brush not far away, and suddenly an idea came to her.
"Ah Liu? Come here and let me see what you've written?"
Upon receiving the booklet, Jiang Zhuoying's brow twitched as she read it.
At three-quarters past the hour of You (5:45 PM), I ate one-third of a serving of chestnut cake and half a cup of water, during which time I talked with Xiangyue…
She flipped through the pages meticulously, even writing down the content of her conversation with Xiangyue and their expressions!
No wonder Ah Liu has been writing non-stop ever since she stepped into the room, without ever pausing for a moment.
Her delicate, fair fingertips pointed to a line of text in the booklet: "The Empress said: 'That scoundrel stole my storybook; I'll find a way to get it back tonight.'"
"Ah Liu! Why did you write that in as well?"
Ah Liu was startled and immediately knelt down on the spot.
She tried hard to recall the sentence Jiang Zhuoying had just pointed out, but she didn't really remember it.
Since entering the room, she has only been recording what she sees and hears, without having time to think about it in detail.
Jiang Zhuoying flipped through a few more pages, feeling increasingly speechless.
He originally intended to give a few words of reprimand, but when he looked up and saw Ah Liu kneeling on the ground with his head down, he sighed helplessly.
“Ah Liu, you don’t need to do things so rigidly.”
"Yes, I understand."
"These are all private conversations between us. You'll be spending a lot of time by my side from now on."
She only hinted at it, meaning she had already included Ah Liu in the category of "one of our own who we can confide in."
These things are harmless if said in private, but if they are brought up in public, no one will feel good about it.
Although Ah Liu was upright, she was not as stubborn as a piece of rotten wood. She considered herself lucky to have gotten this job, so she would not mess it up easily.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant knows what to do."
She bent down and lay on the carpet, answering earnestly.
...
When Qi Fan returned to the palace after finishing her work at 9 PM, Jiang Zhuoying couldn't wait to ask her about the latest situation.
The information Jiang Lang was able to access was becoming increasingly crucial. Qi Fan and his team wanted to use it to lure out the snake from its hole, find out who exactly was in contact with him in Xiyan, and then make their next move.
Jiang Zhuoying nodded knowingly and moved to the inside of the bed on her own... Not long after, the man went to the bathing room and got onto the bed, still damp from the water.
She waited for the other person's next move, but after a rustling sound of clothes against the bedding, the surroundings fell into complete silence.
Even the only oil lamp that had been left lit to wait for Qi Fan had been extinguished.
The girl, who had been keeping her eyes closed, suddenly opened them, and a soft, plaintive voice suddenly rang out in the silence.
"What does Your Highness mean by this?"
Qi Fan opened his eyes as well, but before he could answer her.
The woman beside him continued, "What has I done to displease Your Highness this time?"
"No," he said in a hoarse voice, his voice very low, before being interrupted by the person beside him.
"There must be something about me that Your Highness finds offensive. This must be what people mean by sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams..."
Her tone became increasingly aggrieved, and her voice grew softer and softer.
Qi Fan: "..."
He simply sat up, stretched out his well-defined forearm from inside the bed curtains, and lit the oil lamp by the moonlight coming through the window.
When a warm, yellowish light filled his field of vision, he looked at the bulge on the inside.
With her back to him, her hairy back of her head and her long, dark hair reaching her hips were all wrapped in the quilt by Jiang Zhuoying, with only a few strands left out.
He quickly recalled his actions and realized that everything had been normal before he went to the bathhouse.
The problem must have occurred during the time he was taking a bath.
He paused for a moment: "Is the Crown Princess having a nightmare?"
Jiang Zhuoying: "..."
She wrapped the small blanket around herself even tighter, her voice muffled: "No."
Qi Fan paused for a moment, then asked, "Did I upset you?"
The girl on the inside fell silent.
This is the default.
Qi Fan understood this principle well.
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