Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Your Highness is not allowed to read this!
The spring dress was thin, and there was almost no barrier between the soft palm and the skin. The girl's fingertips used some strength to steady herself, like a kitten scratching someone, with an annoying itchy feeling.
Xie Zhi frowned tightly, feeling that even the skin she was holding was about to be burned.
He hated feeling so out of control.
So he lowered his eyes to look at her, his cold gaze carrying a warning, as if silently rebuking, "Let go!"
Nie Xiangyi had just subconsciously looked for something to hold on to, but when he looked at her fiercely, she realized that she was actually holding on to his legs.
Her face flushed instantly. Her fair, delicate cheeks instantly became hot, as if she had been painted with rouge, and even the corners of her eyes were tinged with red, making her look even more beautiful.
She hurriedly took her hand away as if it had been burned, but she was at a loss as to what to do and could only rub the corner of her clothes blankly.
All she could see was Xie Zhi's bamboo-colored clothes. She could hardly help but recall the touch of her palm just now. The tense muscles hidden under the seemingly thin and gentle figure were a strange touch she had never felt before.
Her eyes began to wander, and she didn't know where to look.
Xie Zhi just brushed off his robe with a cold face, as if he extremely hated her touch.
"Your Highness?"
Ling Zhu felt that His Highness's expression seemed a little strange today. He looked extremely cold, but he didn't look angry. He also seemed a little absent-minded.
However, as a subordinate, he could not look his master in the eye. He only bowed his head and respectfully reported, "Your Highness, there is indeed something wrong with the family across the street."
Hmm? The house across the street? Isn't that me?
Nie Xiangyi was a little embarrassed and coy, but she was stunned when she heard these words.
"As soon as I entered the courtyard, a secret guard appeared and engaged me." Ling Zhu paused, "How could an ordinary official residence or a private residence keep secret guards?"
Secret guard? Yang Qiu?
Nie Xiangyi was puzzled. Why did Ling Zhu come to her house in the middle of the night? And why did he fight with Yang Qiu?
Xie Zhi's expression was slightly restrained. "Have you seen the identity of the owner of this house?"
The owner of the house is here! Nie Xiangyi blinked and reached out to tug at the corner of his clothes.
There seemed to be a mischievous cat at his feet, and Xie Zhi calmly slapped her hand away.
"I am incompetent." Ling Zhu bowed and apologized, "That secret guard is very skilled and is on par with me."
Xie Zhi stared without saying a word.
Ling Zhu's skills are among the best, and he can be on par with him. I'm afraid his identity is not that simple.
Nie Xiangyi shook her head proudly upon hearing this. Of course! Yang Qiu was the secret guard specially chosen by her grandfather, so her skills were beyond reproach!
Ling Zhu hesitated slightly, "Could it be someone from the Crown Prince's side..."
Xie Zhi didn't comment, "Send someone to keep an eye on it first."
Ling Zhu always felt that His Highness's expression was a little unusual today, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
He bowed and left, but when he turned around, the difference in perspective made him suddenly catch a glimpse of what seemed to be a goose yellow skirt hem at the feet of His Highness.
What is that!
Ling Zhu's eyes suddenly widened, and the calmness that he had been trained to maintain since childhood was shattered in an instant.
He must be dazzled, Ling Zhu thought.
"Wait." When he was still in shock, Xie Zhi's cold voice suddenly called him.
Xie Zhi's eyes were fixed on the book "Nine Stars Theory" on the desk, and I don't know what he was thinking about.
"You go and receive your punishment."
Ling Zhu choked upon hearing this, "Yes."
His Highness rarely punished him unless something went wrong. Was it because he hadn't been able to successfully infiltrate the mansion across the street today? Or...
Did His Highness discover that he had seen it? Did he punish him?
Ling Zhu silently closed his mouth.
"Your Highness?" A soft voice came from beside her feet. Nie Xiangyi blinked and looked at him. The way she tilted her little face up made her big eyes look especially bright and lively.
"Can I get up now? My feet are numb from squatting."
Xie Zhi looked helpless and just nodded slightly, as if agreeing.
Nie Xiangyi rubbed her legs as she slowly stood up. She looked at the figure that had long since disappeared from the window and asked curiously, "Your Highness, why did you punish Master Ling Zhu?"
Xie Zhi's eyes moved slightly, and he answered her coldly, "You don't need to know."
If you make mistakes even when trying to find out such trivial information, how can you be a good official in the future?
"Okay..." His cold attitude made Nie Xiangyi pout, and then asked, "Is it because Master Ling Zhu has never beaten Yang Qiu? That's not his fault."
As she spoke, she murmured softly, as if expressing a slight doubt, "Why did His Highness allow Master Ling Zhu to investigate my villa?"
"Your villa?" Xie Zhi's cold eyes suddenly fixed, "Is your house across the street?"
"Yes!" Nie Xiangyi smiled brightly and nodded at him, "I moved here especially for Your Highness!"
Since she has moved out anyway, she might as well say something nice to please His Highness and make a better impression of her.
She is so smart!
"Yang Qiu didn't recognize Lord Ling Zhu's identity, so he started fighting with him. I really can't blame him." Nie Xiangyi explained, "I will talk to Yang Qiu in a good way when I get back!"
Xie Zhi glanced at her coldly, "You are so kind."
Still thinking about explaining for others.
"What is your purpose in approaching me again and again?" He frowned slightly, his eyes and eyebrows showing a cold look.
He couldn't help but suspect her ulterior motives.
Xie Zhi has held the power of the Shen Ce Division since he was young, and has long been accustomed to the schemes of all kinds of beauties.
It is not appropriate for a young lady from a noble family who is about to get married to live alone in a separate courtyard. She even disregards her own reputation and keeps saying that she came for him.
His brows were lowered, and his eyes were already filled with the scrutiny of someone who had been walking around the Shen Ce Division for many years.
His expression wasn't fierce, but rather light and gentle, yet it gave Nie Xiangyi a chill. She tucked her chin in, her voice softening slightly as she said, "I... I want His Highness to remember me..."
She pursed her lips in a somewhat aggrieved tone as she spoke, "Otherwise, His Highness will forget about me again like he did last time..."
Xie Zhi frowned even more impatiently when he heard this. She actually mistook him for someone else.
If the person in front of her today was the one she met during the Lantern Festival, would she also climb over that person's wall and hide at his feet like she did today?
"You..." His tone was not very good, and he was about to open his mouth to clarify again.
But when he looked up at her, he realized they were a little too close. The candlelight flickered, her soft face shimmering with light, her peachy pink skin tinged with a sense of grievance that made it hard to rebuke her.
Xie Zhi's tone suddenly paused.
"What's wrong with your face?" The words in his mouth changed.
He noticed a slight redness and swelling on the side of her face.
"Your Highness saw it?" Nie Xiangyi's eyes widened upon hearing this. She panicked and covered her face with her hands, muttering to herself, "This shouldn't be the case. I clearly used ice to reduce the swelling! I also applied powder!"
She had dressed up nicely before coming to see Xie Zhi. Her swollen face looked so ugly, and she didn't want anyone to see it.
In reality, the slight redness and swelling were not noticeable unless one looked closely. It was only because her cheeks were plump and her skin was soft and delicate, like a piece of fine white jade, so delicate that it seemed as if it could be broken by a touch, that the red mark was so noticeable.
That was clearly a palm mark.
Xie Zhi could almost conclude that her life in Yongyi Marquis's Mansion would not be easy.
Is this the reason why she approached me?
Seeing Xie Zhi's gaze still fixed on her cheek, Nie Xiangyi felt embarrassed and annoyed. In a hurry, she subconsciously reached out and covered his eyes with her palm.
"Your Highness is not allowed to look at it!"
Her voice still had a rising ending, like a cat with its fur standing up when it was not teased.
The light in front of Xie Zhi suddenly dimmed for a moment. The jade-white fingertips blocked his eyes, and strands of candlelight seeped in from between her fingers, just like the unique gardenia fragrance that belonged to her, which had already quietly enveloped him.
He frowned, somewhat annoyed by the feeling of being out of control.
He could obviously dodge it.
The lightly trembling eyelashes brushed against Nie Xiangyi's soft palm, bringing a slight itch. Nie Xiangyi then realized what he had done subconsciously and hurriedly withdrew his hand.
"Your Highness, I have overstepped my bounds."
But she was also worried that her ugly swollen face would ruin her image in His Highness's eyes, so she could only bow hastily and say, "I'll take my leave now."
The unobstructed light instantly poured into Xie Zhi's dark eyes. Xie Zhi's gaze fell on her hurriedly departing back, which was light yellow and fluttering as it lightly climbed over one courtyard wall after another.
He actually forgot to remind her to go through the main entrance.
After a moment of silence, he told the servant outside the door, "Call Ling Zhu over."
Before Ling Zhu received his punishment, he was called away by his own prince.
The night was deep and the dew was heavy, but Xie Zhi had not yet rested. He frowned at the rare book on the table and ordered, "Go check the Yongyi Marquis Mansion."
"Nie family?" Ling Zhu was stunned for a moment.
The Yongyi Marquis's Mansion now holds only an empty title, and Yongyi Marquis Nie Zhengqing is just an idle official in the Taichang Temple. He has never been in trouble. Why would they suddenly be investigated?
"The person who moved into the house opposite is Nie Xiangyi." Xie Zhi said calmly.
Ling Zhu was so shocked that he almost blurted out, "How did Your Highness know?"
As expected of his own Highness, he was incredibly observant. He had sneaked into the mansion at night and even engaged in a fight with the opposing secret guards, without even verifying their identities. Yet, His Highness knew everything in the blink of an eye.
He secretly decided to improve his job skills.
He swallowed his words back in an instant, and immediately understood Xie Zhi's intention, "Your Highness, do you suspect that the Nie family has ulterior motives?"
Xie Zhi pondered for a moment, "Maybe it's not just the Nie family."
"General Anxi?" Ling Zhu thought of this almost instantly.
How could a downtrodden Nie family stir up such a storm? If they really had other motives, it must be related to General Anxi.
"Your Highness, do you suspect that General Anxi is the Crown Prince's man? Is that why you're intentionally placing Miss Nie by your side? Are you trying to gather information?"
Thinking about it this way, it seems to make sense why His Highness had previously tolerated Nie Xiangyi's rude behavior.
But what doesn't make sense is, would General Anxi really use Nie Xiangyi as a beauty trap? A girl who bought banned books in public and has a bad reputation?
Ling Zhu was puzzled.
He recalled the day when he had inquired about her whereabouts at the bookstore. The clerk, hesitant to speak, shook his head and said seriously, "You come here to buy that kind of book! Here! 'The Pretty Man Runs Away at Night'! You'd be embarrassed to be seen! Tsk tsk, I wonder whose girl this is!"
This kind of beauty trap is too clumsy.
Or perhaps this was all part of her plan. A wise but foolish scheme, playing the pig to eat the tiger.
Ling Zhu took a breath of cold air. This Miss Nie must be no simple person.
His mind was in turmoil, but Xie Zhi remained indifferent. "Nothing has been decided yet."
An idea suddenly popped into his mind.
In fact, he wanted to know more about why she moved here and where the wound on her cheek came from.
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