A Rao's grip on Liu Zhang's arm suddenly tightened, panic evident on her face. She asked in a deep voice, "How did you know the prince was a girl?"
Liu Zhang pulled her into his arms, and took her waist. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I don't know why you are hiding the secret that Master Shen is a girl.
Since Miss Jiang is trying so hard to protect the prince, it must be a very important secret, right? "
A Rao's body froze, and she grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands. She supported herself with her hands and tried to keep a distance from him. She asked anxiously, "What did you do to my prince? Who else knows about this? Where is she? I want to see her!"
"Don't go. There are spies of the Third Prince and his men outside now. They are also targeting you. You will be in danger." Liu Zhang quietly tightened his arms around her waist, hugged A Rao, and held her tightly in his arms.
"Lord Liu, what are you doing? Let me go!" A Rao struggled hard in the wet arms, but he held her tightly.
She angrily pushed his chest, trying to push him away.
"Don't worry, I'm the only one who knows about this, and I'll keep it a secret. Miss Jiang Rao, I want to marry you, so I'll naturally help you."
A Rao was stunned, gave up struggling, and gently loosened his clothes with both hands.
She lowered her eyes and was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised her eyes to look at him, and asked with her pink lips: "If I marry you, will you keep this secret?"
Liu Zhang was also stunned when he heard her cold questioning voice. He loosened his arms around her waist, frowned slightly, and said unhappily: "Then, are you willing?"
But A Rao lowered her head and thought for a long time before answering truthfully: "Master Liu, to be honest, I really can't promise you marriage...
I am the child bride of Prince Shen. Madam and mother have said that I will be his concubine in the future."
Liu Zhang argued: "But your prince is a girl. If you make her a concubine, won't your life be ruined?
Besides, how will your son get married and have children in the future? Why does he have to dress up as a man? Is this your son's personal hobby, or is it something his family asked him to do?"
A Rao hurriedly explained, "That was a temporary measure that Madam had to take. The Crown Prince had his own difficulties...
From childhood to adulthood, the prince had suffered a lot in order to pass for a man. He was often misunderstood and criticized by others, and bullied and ridiculed by other young men his age...
The Marquis and the Young Master also dislike her and punish her at every turn, disliking her for not being able to practice martial arts. But the Young Master is really hardworking and dedicated, and she actually knows everything..."
Liu Zhang exclaimed in surprise and said in disbelief: "Lord Shen doesn't know that she is a girl!"
A Rao shook her head with red eyes and continued, "This matter concerns the Fu family in the southern border. I don't know the details of it. I just know that I can't tell anyone about it."
"But she... is still a girl, and she won't be able to hide it eventually, right?" Liu Zhang felt his scalp tingling vaguely. The seemingly arrogant and domineering Master Shen actually had such a big secret hidden behind him!
"When the princess turned fifteen, her mother buried a long silver needle in her neck to suppress her gradually weakening voice, making her voice sound deep like a boy's.
But every time I caught a cold or had a fever, the silver needles buried in my neck would cause my throat to swell and ulcerate, making it difficult to even eat.
She wore a thick and tight corset every day, and she would be out of breath after walking a few more steps. The pain was even worse in the summer.
However, the prince still insisted on studying and practicing martial arts every day without slacking off.
In order to fulfill the lady's request and gain the Marquis's approval, she has been pretending to be a man, acting and speaking seriously and diligently..."
Liu Zhang felt mixed emotions as she suddenly remembered when she stabbed Master Shen's thigh with a knife. She was clearly in so much pain that she broke out in cold sweats and her lips were bleeding when she bit them, but she tried her best to hold back and not scream.
He panted slightly and asked in a muffled voice, "Why did Madam insist on her dressing up as a man? If she was in so much pain, why didn't she return to her female body? Why did she let a girl bear all this alone?
Don’t you have an eldest son in your family?”
A Rao's eyes were red as she anxiously grabbed Liu Zhang's hand and pleaded, "No, if her identity is made public now, someone will definitely harm Tingnan Marquis Mansion and the Fu family in the southern border!
Master Liu, I know what you want. I am willing to serve you without asking for any title. I only ask that you do not make this secret public."
Liu Zhang's breathing stagnated. He felt his temples throbbing, and a surge of anger that had nowhere to vent rushed to his head. Did this stupid girl think that he was using this matter to threaten and force her?
Is she planning to use her body to block his mouth?
Liu Zhang suppressed the rage rising in his heart and said through gritted teeth, "For your prince, you're really willing to do anything!"
"Please, Lord Liu, keep this secret." A Rao didn't say anything more. She reached out to unbutton his collar, and her originally panicked expression turned into indifference.
Liu Zhang angrily buttoned his collar, grabbed her shoulders and asked loudly: "Are you really willing to do this? Are you willing to sell your body to protect other people's secrets?"
Ah Rao hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt, her heart already in turmoil, her fingers trembling as she touched the buttons. She choked with sobs and said, "Lord Liu, my ancestors were born in the southern border, and my parents and brothers have been blessed by the Fu family for generations. Madam's order is an imperial decree, and I was born to protect the prince.
For the prince, I am willing to do anything, even if it means losing my life."
"Then are you going to sell your body? If ten or a hundred men find out that Master Shen is a girl, are you going to use your body to shut their mouths one by one?" Liu Zhang's eyes were red with anger. He pinched A Rao's shoulders tightly, feeling sorry for her misfortune and angry at her for not fighting back.
"But you have destroyed my martial arts. Then what should I use to protect the prince?" A Rao's tears fell. She shook Liu Zhang's hand away and took two steps back with trembling shoulders.
"I have no other options, this is all I have!"
"If you can't protect her, then don't do it. Prince Shen has a distinguished family background, and besides you, there are many people protecting her..."
“No one…”
The two were silent for a long time, and the air became stiff and cold.
A Rao lowered her head and calmed down for a long time, then returned to her cold appearance. Her fingers trembled as she unbuttoned her clothes one by one, and she took off the goose yellow coat in front of Liu Zhang.
A Rao was wearing a thin undergarment, tears streaming down her face like pearls from a broken string, but there was no trace of grievance or unwillingness on her face. She was as cold as a puppet without a soul.
"Anyway, once the prince's secret is exposed, I will have no choice but to fight to the death. Lord Liu, think it over carefully."
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