Chapter 18: The boy who was slapped, still smelling of medicine, finally understands; the green tea girl begs for mercy in tears…
The Empress was surprised that Li Chengyi would suddenly admit it.
She stared blankly at Li Chengyi.
He then openly revealed his innermost thoughts:
"Mother, I love her and don't want her to be hurt by anyone."
"Not even the Empress Dowager."
The Empress suddenly felt as if she had given birth to a fool, and she helplessly offered Li Chengyi some pointers:
“Zhao’er, you are in the royal family and the crown prince. If you have such a weakness, even if your mother doesn’t take action, someone else will.”
"How could your father just stand by and watch you become so infatuated with a woman?"
Li Chengyi's eyes turned fierce:
"Mother, I have grown up and am now capable of protecting the people I love."
If Buddha gets in my way, I'll kill him; if God gets in my way, I'll kill him.
Only now has Li Chengyi truly understood his own heart and is eager to see Lin Yanshu.
He wanted to confess to Lin Yanshu, to tell him everything.
He is the crown prince, and he will give her everything.
As soon as Li Chengyi arrived at the mansion, he saw Lin Yanshu standing in the courtyard, staring blankly at the sky.
Hearing his voice, Lin Yanshu turned around and looked over.
.
A single glance felt like an eternity; Li Chengyi seemed to hear his own heartbeat.
He strode over and stood in front of Lin Yanshu, his eyes fixed on her.
Lin Yanshu took a step back and raised her hand with a cold face.
Lee Seung-ik thought she was going to touch him, so he deliberately moved his face closer.
The next second, Lin Yanshu slapped Li Chengyi across the face.
A red handprint instantly appeared on Li Chengyi's face.
A burst of applause echoed throughout the courtyard.
The servants around quickly lowered their heads and turned their backs, pretending not to see anything.
Li Chengyi was caught off guard and froze for a second.
He touched his cheek with his tongue.
A burning pain spread across his face.
Li Chengyi's first thought was that Lin Yanshu must have used so much force that his palms must be bright red.
Lin Yanshu's slap carried her unique medicinal scent, and Li Chengyi felt a faint medicinal scent still lingering on his face.
Lin Yanshu is angry.
Lin Yanshu looked up at Li Chengyi, her face expressionless.
"Your Highness, are you angry?"
Lin Yanshu's tone was indifferent, and Li Chengyi couldn't tell whether she was angry or not.
He looked at Lin Yanshu with some panic and explained nervously:
"Yanshu, let me explain."
Lin Yanshu did not want to hear Li Chengyi's voice.
Should I continue to listen to him lie to me?
Lee Seung-ik is the best at lying!
She covered her ears.
Seeing how much Lin Yanshu disliked him, Li Chengyi anxiously used sign language:
"I didn't mean to, I just..."
Lin Yanshu simply closed his eyes as well.
Once a lie is exposed, can it really be overlooked with just a few casual words?
What about her honest and sincere feelings for him?
She may not be as noble as Li Chengyi, but her self-respect is no less than his.
Seeing that Lin Yanshu had no intention of communicating with him, Li Chengyi anxiously clutched the hem of his clothes.
He didn't know how to calm Lin Yanshu down and get her to talk to him.
He's never liked anyone before and doesn't know how to please a girl.
He could only stand helplessly in front of her.
Tears of grievance welled up in her eyes involuntarily.
In the ensuing silence, Lin Yanshu assumed that Li Chengyi had already left.
She opened her eyes again, and what came into view was Li Chengyi's tear-streaked face.
Her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes revealing confusion and grievance, her lips slightly pursed, and the corners of her eyes reddened as she stared unblinkingly at Lin Yanshu.
Li Chengyi only wanted Lin Yanshu to look at him, just once.
Lin Yanshu was stunned. She had never seen Li Chengyi so... so lovable.
The moment Lin Yanshu stared at Li Chengyi, hot tears fell and slammed heavily to the ground.
No one had ever taught Lin Yanshu what to do when a man cried.
Lin Yanshu even forgot that she was angry, and she quickly reached out to wipe away the tears on Li Chengyi's face.
Lin Yanshu stopped halfway through extending her hand.
She remembered that she was angry.
Li Chengyi sensed the softening of Lin Yanshu's attitude.
Tears were his weapon.
His weakness is his sharpest weapon.
He took it upon himself to press his face against Lin Yanshu's outstretched hand, tears streaming down his cheeks into Lin Yanshu's palm.
Lin Yanshu felt a little awkward; Li Chengyi's tears were hot.
She didn't like it, and Lin Yanshu tried to pull her hand back, but Li Chengyi grabbed it tightly and held it in place.
Li Chengyi looked at her with tears in his eyes, his heart filled with grievance:
"Yan Shu, I was wrong. I didn't mean to hide it from you."
"It's just that my identity is sensitive, and I'm afraid I might bring you trouble."
His eyes sparkled, and as he spoke, he rubbed his cheek against Lin Yanshu's palm.
Lin Yanshu thought, how could Li Chengyi, a man, have such a soft face that makes one want to pinch it?
Her eyelashes fluttered as she avoided Li Chengyi's gaze.
It's a bit too easy for her to forgive Lee Seung-ik so readily.
She tried to pull her hand back, but Li Chengyi increased the force, pulling her hand down to his front as well.
Lin Yanshu was pulled into Li Chengyi's arms, in a position where she was half-embraced by him.
Li Chengyi bent down slightly, looking at Lin Yanshu with sincere eyes. He opened his mouth slightly, his warm breath falling on Lin Yanshu's face, and said in a half-coquettish tone:
"Yan Shu, please don't ignore me, okay?"
"I promise you, I will never hide anything from you again."
Lin Yanshu felt that they were getting a little too close.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, her mind went blank, and she seemed... not so angry anymore.
Li Chengyi pressed his advantage, his eyes brimming with tenderness that could almost drip with honey:
"Yan Shu, please forgive me, okay?"
Lin Yanshu nodded as if possessed.
Li Chengyi then stopped looking aggrieved and, beaming with joy, picked up Lin Yanshu and spun her around in the air.
Lin Yanshu's skirt swayed, creating ripples.
Lin Yanshu felt that the hug was a little strange, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.
When Lin Yanshu saw Huo Zheng standing not far away, she blushed instantly, patted Li Chengyi's shoulder, and told him to put her down.
Huo Zheng's mouth dropped open. His Highness was terminally ill, beyond any hope of recovery.
………………
Since that night, Li Chengyi has completely abandoned the propriety and shame of being the crown prince, and has moved out of the Eastern Palace to live in a small courtyard.
Lin Yanshu stared wide-eyed at Li Chengyi as the palace servants came and went.
Li Chengyi coughed a few times, feigning an attack.
"We're busy with government affairs here, so it'll be more convenient to move here."
Lin Yanshu then recalled the murder case at the teahouse and used sign language to ask Li Chengyi:
"Has the real culprit been found in the teahouse case?"
This case isn't particularly difficult; we've actually made some progress by following the clues related to spices.
However, spices from the Western Regions were prohibited items controlled by the imperial court, and several suspected spice shops denied any wrongdoing.
These shops are frequented by officials and their families; forcing them to come would likely cause gossip and trouble.
Li Chengyi, on the other hand, was in a dilemma.
Lin Yanshu could tell from Li Chengyi's furrowed brows that the matter was doomed.
She stood in front of Li Chengyi, her eyes gleaming with cunning:
"Take me to see it, Ah Zhao."
Li Chengyi turned his head away. This case involved many people, and he didn't want her to get involved.
Seeing that Li Chengyi was ignoring her, Lin Yanshu went up to him, shook his arm, and looked pitiful.
"I have nothing to do all day, let me go take a look!"
"Maybe I can be of some help."
"Ah Zhao, Ah Zhao! Good Ah Zhao!"
Li Chengyi was finding it hard to resist her persistence, and with a smile, he tapped her head with his fingertip:
"Alright, I'll take you there, but you're not allowed to run around."
Lin Yanshu's eyes shone brightly, and she nodded emphatically.
Lin Yanshu followed Li Chengyi to the largest spice shops in the capital.
As soon as they entered, the waiter warmly welcomed them.
"Young master, what would you like your wife to buy?"
The servant mistook them for a married couple.
Just as Lin Yanshu was about to speak to correct him, Li Chengyi grabbed her wrist and pressed her to the spot.
He said with a smile:
"Let's look at some spices."
Seeing the couple so affectionate, the servant smiled even more brightly and warmly entertained Lin Yanshu.
In newlywed couples like this, the wife's words carry the most weight.
He asked Lin Yanshu with a smile:
"Young lady, what are you going to do with the spices?"
Lin Yanshu pointed at Li Chengyi.
The servant knew exactly what it was for; it was for his own husband.
This young couple is so romantic.
However, this young master needs these things to liven things up at such a young age.
It's like a needle for embroidery—good-looking but useless.
The servant led Lin Yanshu and his companion around, introducing them to all the perfumers and their partners who were specially commissioned by the couple.
Li Chengyi found it strange that the servant was looking at him like that.
With a mixture of sympathy and schadenfreude.
Lin Yanshu glanced quickly at Li Chengyi, then smiled and used sign language to communicate with him:
"These are all incense to enhance your virility."
Li Chengyi's earlobes instantly turned red. He gritted his teeth and looked at Lin Yanshu, narrowing his eyes.
She did it on purpose!
Li Chengyi, with a cold face, pinched Lin Yanshu's cheek like he was kneading a glutinous rice ball.
The servant immediately fell silent upon seeing the two of them.
This young couple is in high spirits.
Li Chengyi waved his hand, signaling the servant to leave.
Lin Yanshu stomped her foot and glared at Li Chengyi with displeasure.
Ah Zhao is bullying him! She was just teasing him, but he insisted on pretending to be her husband.
Looking at her coquettish expression, Li Chengyi felt like a kitten that had been caught, unable to win but still wanting to provoke her.
He bent down, leaned close to Lin Yanshu, and asked with a broad smile and a crescent-shaped smile:
Are you unhappy?
Lin Yanshu turned her head and opened her mouth to bite Li Chengyi.
But Li Chengyi pinched her mouth shut with his other hand.
Her entire cheek was pinched and squeezed together by Li Chengyi. Li Chengyi raised an eyebrow and teased, "..."
"Madam, we are outside, we can't do this."
Lin Yanshu blushed when Li Chengyi addressed her as "Madam".
Li Chengyi liked seeing Lin Yanshu like this, because he blushed.
Lin Yanshu stepped back, pulled her face away, and rubbed her stiffened cheeks.
She strolled casually through the store, with Lee Seung-ik following behind her. She stood at the counter watching the accountant use an abacus.
She glanced at the ledger a few times.
She then turned around, grabbed Lee Seung-ik's arm, and walked out.
There's something wrong with this ledger.
A note from the author:
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Empress: Whose son is this? Take him away quickly.
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