10 Rejection
◎ "I am willing to do this."◎
The two of them sat back on the bed in the cabin. Jiang Yan pulled the blanket up and wrapped Cui Huaifeng as tightly as possible.
Cui Huaifeng leaned against Jiang Yan, looking listless and listless.
Jiang Yan turned her head and asked him, "Are you tired?"
"Yeah." Cui Huaifeng's voice was a little hoarse, and if you listened carefully, you could hear a nasal tone.
Jiang Yan placed her hand on his abdomen and said with a smile, "I think I'm pregnant this time."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Cui Huaifeng took her wrist and set it aside, then turned sideways and drew the cabin curtain. It was still daylight, and the lotus pond was bathed in a golden glow. The autumn wind, now chilly, blew past the lotus leaves and into the cabin. Cui Huaifeng nodded slightly.
Jiang Yan asked with concern: "Are you cold? Why don't you turn it off first?"
Cui Huaifeng replied calmly, "No need."
Jiang Yan raised his eyebrows, moved to the window, and put his outer robe on him. Cui Huaifeng did not refuse.
Cui Huaifeng lay on the windowsill with his arms folded, staring at the lake in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking.
Jiang Yan turned his head and looked at him. His well-defined face was framed with gold by the dusk, and his waist-length hair that fell like a waterfall also faintly shone with golden stars.
Jiang Yan looked out the window at the lake full of autumn lotus flowers. She remembered that when she first came to the Princess's Mansion, the lotus flowers in Qianfan Lake had already withered.
————
years ago.
When Jiang Yan paid his respects to Feng Jun, the Empress had just finished playing chess with him. Jiang Yan bowed to the Empress and sat down casually. The servants saw this, cleared the chessboard, and then left.
The three of them chatted for a while about family matters. When no one else was around, the Emperor and Empress interacted more like an ordinary husband and wife.
Jiang Yan looked at the emperor and empress, wondering whether she and Cui Huaifeng would live an ordinary but happy life in the future, with the wife following the husband's lead.
Speaking of which, I heard that my father entered the palace for the benefit of the family, and I also heard that my mother was a playboy. The beauties in the palace were favored today and out of favor tomorrow, and they didn't even have any status. To her, men were just tools to consolidate her regime and give birth to heirs, so she ignored her mother.
The mother queen, on the other hand, fell in love with the father queen at first sight during the selection process and made an exception to make him a noble prince. When the father queen became pregnant with the emperor's sister, she ignored the ministers' advice and made him a phoenix prince. Soon after the emperor's sister was born, she was made a crown princess.
At that time, the Queen Mother was pregnant with the fifth brother and still disliked the Queen Mother. But after a certain incident, the Queen Mother was moved by the Queen Mother, and the two gradually opened their hearts and their relationship grew stronger and stronger.
Although Cui Huaifeng doesn't like me, if I treat him sincerely and treat him with sincerity like the queen mother, the two of them may really be able to live in harmony.
"What's wrong? What are you thinking about?" Feng Jun asked his daughter with a smile when he saw her lost in thought.
"I'm thinking... my mother, the queen, and my father, the queen, were deeply in love. I wish I and my future king could be like them."
The Empress and Feng Jun looked at each other and smiled. The Empress asked her, "Does Yan'er have a man she likes?"
Jiang Yan didn't answer, but seeing that she looked shy, he knew there was something she didn't understand.
The two of them understood and didn't ask any more questions. Feng Jun changed the subject and asked, "Would you like to stay for dinner later?"
"No, I have something else to do. I'll have dinner with my mother, the emperor, and my father, the empress, another day."
"Well, I won't keep you here."
Jiang Yan bowed and left the palace, then took a carriage straight to the south of the capital.
When they arrived at the agreed location, Jiang Yan lifted the curtain of the carriage. Zhu Jin was already waiting by the roadside. He reached out and helped Jiang Yan get off the carriage.
"Where are the things?" Jiang Yan asked Zhu Jin.
"Master, it's ready." Zhu Jin handed the gift box wrapped in exquisite brocade to Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan carefully took it and examined it. Fearing that too many people would put pressure on Cui Huaifeng, she didn't let Zhu Jin and the others follow. Without even turning around, she instructed them, "Okay, wait here."
"yes."
Everything was ready, and Jiang Yan went to find Cui Huaifeng happily.
Since the last time he'd been rescued, Cui Huaifeng's attitude had softened noticeably. Though still lukewarm, it gave Jiang Yan a glimmer of hope. He wasn't making excuses to leave like he used to. Now, when she'd accidentally run into him, he'd be willing to engage in a conversation. Even with just a few words, Jiang Yan's heart surged.
Near Jingmo Tower, Cui Huaifeng and Zheng Pu were rushing towards Jingmo Tower when they suddenly saw a familiar person among the crowd.
Zheng Pu narrowed his eyes, "Hey, Master, isn't that the Sixth Prince?"
Cui Huaifeng paused, wondering whether he was dressed appropriately today.
Zheng Pu noticed Jiang Yan's attentiveness to Cui Huaifeng. He turned his head expectantly and asked Cui Huaifeng, "Sixth Prince, are you here to look for your master?"
"Your Highness, maybe she just happened to be passing by."
Before he finished speaking, Jiang Yan, who was walking and searching, also discovered the master and servant. Her eyes lit up and she ran towards Cui Huaifeng with a smile.
Staring at her eyes, as dazzling and beautiful as pearls, Cui Huaifeng hurriedly looked away.
Jiang Yan arrived in just a few steps. She greeted the two of them openly, "Master Cui, Zheng Pu."
Cui Huaifeng nodded slightly, "Sixth Prince."
"What is Mr. Cui going to do?" Jiang Yan asked knowingly.
"Zheng Pu and I are going to Jingmo Tower."
"What a coincidence," Jiang Yan said, holding up the box of snacks with a smile. "I just came out of Jingmo Tower. It's packed right now. Master Cui might have to wait for several hours if he goes in now. If you don't mind, please accept this box. I saw that the snacks inside are good, so I bought some extra."
Cui Huaifeng glanced at the gift in Jiang Yan's hand. Just by looking at the brocade wrapping, he knew it was the hardest to find and the most valuable. He wasn't stupid. This box of snacks wasn't extra; it was clearly specially prepared.
Cui Huaifeng looked at her for a long time without saying anything. Jiang Yan felt a little embarrassed holding the gift box.
"Thank you, Sixth Prince." Cui Huaifeng thanked him but had no intention of accepting it.
Cui Huaifeng didn't hate Jiang Yan, and was even... moved by her.
She was the most favored princess of the emperor, and she was virtuous and kind-hearted. Many men wanted to become her husband, but she lowered herself to talk to him and give him gifts, and even spent time and energy to find an ordinary flute.
Except for Zheng Pu who had served her since childhood, she was unwilling to have much contact with others and even her family members because of her cold personality. Only she was willing to be close to her despite knowing this.
But he couldn't tell whether her friendship was a spur of the moment or whether he had been rejecting it, thus arousing her competitive spirit.
Moreover, he knew very well that Jiang Yan would most likely marry the son of an important official in the court. When he became a prince, he would inevitably have three husbands and four concubines, but he only wanted a loyal man.
Even if she was sincere, he wouldn't dare respond. The better she treated him, the more he feared her kindness was just a mirage.
Rather than being tempted and then being doomed, it is better to cut losses in time.
Cui Huaifeng raised his eyes, his gaze cold, "Your Highness, there is no need to worry so much about me."
"I do it willingly." Jiang Yan said anxiously.
"But I am unwilling."
Jiang Yan stood there in a daze, staring blankly at Cui Huaifeng.
Cui Huaifeng pursed his lips and continued, "Your Highness, you don't have to worry about me in the future."
After saying this, Cui Huaifeng bowed and took Zheng Pu away without hesitation.
Jiang Yan looked at Cui Huaifeng's indifferent back, feeling uncomfortable in her chest. Maybe he really didn't care about anyone. Maybe no matter what she did, she was no different from others in his eyes.
Jiang Yan glanced at the gift box in her hand, feeling uneasy. She untied the brocade string, uncovered the silk cloth, took out one of the pastries and angrily took a few bites. Unexpectedly, it was quite delicious.
Jiang Yan smiled briefly and then sighed in disappointment.
Jiang Yan glanced desperately in the direction Cui Huaifeng had left, but he was now completely out of sight. People came and went, but he was nowhere to be found. Jiang Yan lowered his head, took out a few snacks, and ate them listlessly. The once delicious snacks now tasted like wax to Jiang Yan.
She thought of some interesting things while eating, trying to divert her attention, but her mind uncontrollably thought of things related to Cui Huaifeng.
She thought that she cared about him much more than she thought, even though he rejected her again and again.
At one point, she thought about giving up. If she continued like this, he would hate her even more.
But she also thought, if she really gave up, her relationship with him would only become more distant. They might even marry each other...
Jiang Yan thought about it for a moment, and her mind became much clearer. She couldn't imagine or accept that her future husband would be someone else. She only hoped that it would be him.
Jiang Yan's dim eyes gradually brightened, she would not give up.
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