Chapter 38 Falling Off the Carriage She straightened her back, her eyes lowered, her voice…
She straightened her back, her eyes lowered, her voice trembling with tears, "It was my fault, Your Highness. Please punish me."
The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze, so oppressive and stiff that people unconsciously held their breath.
Qi Fan lowered his eyes slightly, his tone flat, but his voice was colder and deeper than before: "Speak."
Jiang Zhuoying bit her lip hard; she was too nervous to bring tears to her eyes.
But a sharp pain shot through her lower lip, instantly filling her eyes with tears that were about to fall.
The girl raised her tearful eyes: "Just now, I encountered a nobleman's carriage on the street, and I was fortunate enough to exchange a glance with that nobleman, and then I encountered..."
She glanced timidly at Xie Xiao beside her, and everyone present understood the meaning behind her words.
“This guard said… that he is the noble person I just met, who can give me a bright future. If I leave with this guard, I will be able to enjoy endless glory and wealth.”
"Waaah... Waaah..."
At this point, Jiang Zhuoying seized the opportunity to sob a few times before continuing, "How could this servant dare to really leave with you, yet I dare not offend the noble person..."
"Therefore, this servant thought of using Your Highness's name to intimidate you."
"It was Your Highness who took advantage of your power and bullied others."
"And my foot injury is indeed unrelated to the guard. I twisted my ankle twice before, and it may not have fully healed yet. Just now, when I heard Your Highness's footsteps, I was too nervous and excited, and when I ran, I accidentally twisted my ankle."
"It really has nothing to do with the guard... Waaah, it's all because I'm too clumsy that I sprained my ankle."
"Your Highness, it's all my fault. Please punish me. I will have no complaints!"
She readily admitted all her mistakes, knelt down with her head down, and waited for Qi Fan to speak.
Her petite and frail body trembled precariously, making her look utterly pitiful.
So that's how it is.
Chu Yixin's eyes were filled with tenderness, her face full of pity. What a silly girl.
He couldn't help but speak up for Jiang Zhuoying: "Master, Jiang's foot is still injured. Shouldn't we let her get up first? We can talk about it when we get back?"
Jiang Zhuoying's words not only made Chu Yixin feel sorry for her, but even Xie Xiao, who was beside her, was brainwashed in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
He suddenly straightened his posture: "Your Highness, it was indeed I who spoke rudely first. To be precise, Miss Jiang did not do anything wrong."
The Third Prince was a licentious and immoral man, and this wasn't the first time he'd done something like this...
However, he wasn't the type to forcibly abduct women. He would often explain the consequences to the girls in detail, but too many people couldn't resist such temptation.
Jiang Zhuoying knelt on the spot, head down, and retorted softly, "This servant was wrong. This servant should not have taken advantage of the situation."
"No! It's my fault! Miss Jiang did nothing wrong!"
Xie Xiao clasped his hands together, his voice firm and resounding, his face serious and upright.
Qi Fan closed his eyes briefly: "Step back."
Xie Xiao was slightly taken aback: "But Your Highness, this subordinate..."
“Go and report to my third brother that the person he has taken a fancy to is mine,” he paused slightly, “a concubine.”
"I will soon report to His Majesty."
Xie Xiao froze on the spot.
Looking at the people inside, Chu Yixin's face was full of joy, while Gu Yunci had a playful expression.
Jiang Zhuoying suddenly looked up, her eyes still red, her long eyelashes stained with tears she had just managed to squeeze out.
The girl looked on in disbelief.
What did she just hear?
What room?
...
She was always accompanied by others, and it wasn't until she was in the carriage on the way back that Jiang Zhuoying dared to ask the question.
"Your Highness, what you just said..."
When the girl got to the crucial point, she seemed to lose her voice. She closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and omitted the two words that were hard to accept before continuing.
"What is the intention?"
She gripped her skirt tightly with both hands, urging him to quickly say that it was just a temporary measure, a scheme to deceive the Third Prince!
Qi Fan slowly looked over, her cold gaze sweeping over her briefly. Her cherry lips were tightly pursed, and her eyebrows were furrowed. She looked somewhat flustered, or perhaps she couldn't agree.
Either way, it's hard to bear what he just said.
"What you were saying just now?" His thin, sharp lips parted slightly.
The girl's pupils widened slightly, and she eagerly added, "What you just said, about petitioning His Majesty..."
She was in a hurry and didn't have time to play that fake brother game with him right now.
"Um."
The man gave a casual reply and slowly closed his dark eyes.
"What you think in your heart is what you are."
Jiang Zhuoying was slightly taken aback: "?"
Before she could think it through, the other person suddenly opened their eyes, their cold gaze shooting straight at her: "Why did you let the manager leave and leave Yuanbaolou without permission?"
Jiang Zhuoying opened her mouth, but why did her expression suddenly change?
Judging from her attitude, there's no need for her to delve into the answer to that question earlier...
"Do you know that if you are targeted by your third brother, your chances of survival are slim?"
The tone of his voice was very flat, so flat that it seemed as if the matter had nothing to do with him at all.
But Jiang Zhuoying's heart raced because of this.
Just recalling that sinister gaze fills her with lingering fear.
“You have always been well-behaved; you must never act on your own initiative again.”
Jiang Zhuoying has had a rebellious streak since she was a child. If you coax her and go along with her, she can speak properly.
But Qi Fan just now, first questioned, then threatened, and finally offered a piece of candy while making an irrefutable demand...
Her father will never use this tactic on her again.
Because it's useless.
"Your Highness." The girl's voice was somewhat muffled.
The man's usually cold and hard heart seemed to be poked by the girl's soft and slender fingertips.
He said these words only to make her understand the pros and cons involved, so that she wouldn't be too naive and blindly run into strangers in the future.
The little girl had always been timid, so he closed his eyes and softened his tone.
"how?"
"Your Highness... I will still address you as Your Highness from now on."
His narrow eyes slowly opened, his gaze churning with emotion.
The girl's voice trembled: "This servant knows that what Second Prince Brother is, he's just someone who's playing with me. How could I become so arrogant just because I keep calling him that?"
“This servant knows it all, this servant has figured it out.”
Qi Fan's expression darkened slightly, a strange glint flashing between his sculpted brows: "What do you know?"
The girl bit her lip, looked up at him quickly, then lowered her head again: "This servant knows that I am ultimately an outsider. Today, Your Highness has taken me out of the manor, and I am both happy and grateful."
"I thought His Highness truly considered me one of his own... but as soon as he saw Young Master Gu, His Highness wanted to send me away."
"Your Highness doesn't trust me... I'm feeling terrible, that's why I thought I'd go out for some fresh air..."
"In short, it's all my fault today. Punish me if you wish."
Yes, she used to trust and depend on you so much.
But how could you bear to let such a simple and obedient maid cry?
No wonder she felt something was missing...
Upon realizing this, Jiang Zhuoying quickly lowered her head and began to sob.
"...You're overthinking it."
But the girl was not as easily coaxed as usual, and kept lowering her head and sobbing: "Your Highness, please don't deceive this servant. People say that things should not be done more than three times."
"With Zhao Xiping, with the tea list, and now this... Just now at Yuanbaolou, the way you looked at me was so cold and sharp, you must be suspicious of me!"
Qi Fan pursed his lips, his eyes dark and intense, staring at the girl who was sobbing with her head down.
Jiang Zhuoying's move was somewhat risky, and she wasn't entirely confident of success.
But where can one find a perfect solution for everything?
Sometimes taking a small risk can yield unexpected results.
Furthermore, even if she loses, she can always find a way to appease her.
The man's right hand rests on his knee, with slightly protruding knuckles.
The little girl had been by his side for some time now, and most of the time she was indeed timid and obedient, but there were also times when she would fiercely show her claws.
Even with its claws outstretched, a rabbit is still a rabbit.
Those who can stay by his side, regardless of gender, all possess unique skills, are steady, and considerate of the overall situation.
No one is as weak and clumsy as her.
No wonder he was bullied so badly in the past...
Now he admits that he is indeed somewhat interested in her, but that interest is not enough for him to make an exception for her.
Jiang Zhuoying waited for a while, sobbing, but no one comforted her.
She wasn't particularly surprised by this.
Getting someone so aloof and indifferent to bow down is harder than climbing to heaven.
Especially when he himself doesn't think he did anything wrong.
So she rubbed her eyes, looked up, and saw that someone had already closed their eyes and fallen asleep!
Jiang Zhuoying: "??!"
She's a beautiful young girl in the prime of her life, and he's been crying here for ages. He doesn't even try to comfort her, so how can he possibly fall asleep?
Then all her performance was for nothing.
The girl puffed out her cheeks angrily, fanned herself with her hands, took a few deep breaths, and then closed her eyes, leaning against the soft cushion behind her.
It's just sleeping, isn't it?
She will too.
Therefore, she naturally missed the sight of her narrow eyes opening the next instant, clear and bright, showing no trace of sleepiness.
The man turned his head to confirm that she had stopped crying, and only then did his protruding knuckles slowly relax.
Jiang Zhuoying was awakened by someone. She opened her eyes in a daze and saw Chu Yixin's smiling face in front of her. Only then did her consciousness slowly return.
She rubbed her eyes: "Eunuch Chu?"
"Hey, we've arrived. Jiang girl, can you still walk? Shall we help you down?"
Jiang Zhuoying was still a little groggy from sleep. She nodded and stretched out her hand: "Then I'll have to trouble Eunuch Chu."
If there were a third person beside her, they would definitely think that Jiang Zhuoying was tactless.
But who can blame Chu Yixin for genuinely liking her now?
Supported by her arm, Jiang Zhuoying staggered as she tried to get off the carriage. Her ankle was still a little sore, but not unbearable.
Having just stepped out of the relatively dim carriage, the sunlight was a bit dazzling. She frowned, closed her eyes, and tiptoed to find the next wooden step.
"Watch where you're going." The cold words had barely left her lips when the girl lunged straight down the wooden steps—
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