Chapter 286 What is Your Highness doing?!
Qin Zhao looked up and glanced at Jiang Yi.
As if he had received an order, Jiang Yi clasped his hands and nodded.
Without hesitation, he walked out of the shop. As he stepped out of the shop, he turned around and glanced at Jiang Ling inside.
Jiang Ling still didn't understand the meaning behind his gaze.
The next second, Jiang Yi reached out and grabbed the two door panels, closing the wooden door from the outside!
In an instant, the shop, which had just been bathed in sunlight, became dark!
All the noise stopped at that moment!
The shop's timeline begins to revert to modern time, while the world behind the wooden door will operate at ten times the normal speed.
Jiang Ling jumped up from her seat in surprise.
"What is Your Highness doing?!"
"I want to open my heart to the girl." Qin Zhao remained calm and composed, seemingly well aware of the consequences of doing so.
Of course, this wasn't the first time he'd been locked in a shop.
His biggest regret was not being able to kill Qin Qian on the way back to the capital. As Qin Qian's reputation grew, he began to panic.
He knew that Jiang Ling and Qin Qian had a close relationship, and if Qin Qian were to receive Jiang Ling's assistance, his position as crown prince would be in jeopardy.
Therefore, he had to get Jiang Ling's support as soon as possible.
Jiang Ling frowned: "I don't understand what Your Highness means?"
Qin Zhao suddenly relaxed, gently put down his teacup, and looked at Jiang Ling's face with a smile.
As he watched, his smile deepened, and a glint of victory shone in his eyes, as if he were excited that he had guessed something correctly.
“I am a year older now, but Miss Jiang still looks the same as when we first met.”
Jiang Ling's heart skipped a beat.
Seeing that she remained silent, Qin Zhao continued, "If I'm not mistaken, the rate at which you grow older should be in line with the time this shop has been around, right? In other words, for every ten years I grow older, you grow one year older."
Jiang Ling's heart was filled with turbulent emotions!
She never imagined that the first person to discover her secret would be Qin Zhao, who had the least contact with her!
So Qin Zhao hadn't seen her for so long just to test whether her appearance had changed significantly after a year?
Jiang Ling forced herself to remain calm and said, "I don't understand what Your Highness is saying. I just pay attention to skincare, so my appearance hasn't changed much."
Qin Zhao wasn't angry at her stubbornness. Instead, he stood up and calmly walked behind her.
Jiang Ling was so excited that she forgot to stop him and never expected him to walk to the back of the warehouse.
When she followed him, Qin Zhao pointed to the iron gate embedded in the wall and spoke gently:
"Could this iron gate be the path to the immortal realm? But as far as I know, immortals do not eat grains, nor can they be harmed by the sharp blades of mortals. But you are different. Could it be that the rumors are wrong?"
Hearing him mention the Immortal Realm, Jiang Ling felt a sense of relief.
After all, no matter how smart he is, he could never guess that he came from the future.
"Your Highness is joking. Where in this world is there a celestial realm?"
"You have compassion for the world, yet you lack the lofty arrogance of a god. Your actions and conduct are both down-to-earth and detached. You seem to always carry the courage to walk away without a care in the world. This is why I have never been able to understand you."
This is also why he dares not make any rash moves.
Fearing that if she made a mistake, she would scurry back into the depths of the forest like a frightened fawn and never come out again.
He was only twelve years old, no, he was thirteen now, but Jiang Ling dared not treat him as a child, because his thinking had already surpassed that of an adult.
Jiang Ling didn't even dare to look him in the eye, fearing that if they did, her secret would be exposed.
He had personally experienced the unusual time elapsed after the shop closed, and constant denial would only deepen his suspicions.
"Your Highness is too kind. I am but a merchant's daughter, at most I collect things that are not commonly seen in the world, and I know a little about strange and erotic skills. How dare I compare myself to immortals? You flatter me."
Although Jiang Ling said this, she was thinking about how to end this sudden accident.
She also had a stun gun in her counter drawer; knocking him out wouldn't be a problem.
But if something happens to the prince here, the entire Jishui Village will likely be doomed.
Qin Zhao didn't ask any further questions, but instead reached out to touch the iron gate.
Jiang Ling was about to stop him, but saw that he was just touching it lightly, and she didn't know where the switch was.
Fortunately, roller shutters did not exist in this era.
However, Jiang Ling knew that if he was allowed to continue his research, he would soon discover that the switch was at the bottom.
Jiang Ling didn't dare to hesitate. She ran to the wooden door and forcefully pulled it open again!
The moment the door opened, a figure stumbled in—it was Xiao Yi.
Upon seeing Jiang Ling, he immediately embraced her, tears still streaming down his face.
Outside the door, Xiao Ran, Zhao Shiying, Xiao Qiu, as well as Sixi and several young workers who rushed over from the workshop after hearing the commotion, were confronting the prince's guards.
Both were red-faced and on the verge of exchanging blows; clearly, a conflict had occurred outside during the brief time she was locked inside.
Upon seeing Jiang Ling, Xiao Yi immediately hugged her and tearfully accused her:
"Sister! Are you alright? They...they won't let us in! We're afraid something might happen to you!"
Those outside the door breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Jiang Ling was safe and sound.
Hearing the commotion outside, Qin Zhao also came out.
Jiang Yi, with Zhao Shiying pointing a sword at him, looked helplessly at Jiang Ling, his eyes sending a pleading signal: "Young Master, Miss Jiang..."
Jiang Ling sighed, "Master Zhao, I'm fine. I'm sorry to have worried everyone. I was just talking to this young master inside and forgot the time."
Her gaze swept over the crowd, carrying a reassuring power, "It was a misunderstanding, everyone disperse, go about your business."
She looked especially at Zhao Shiying and Xiao Ran, whose expressions remained serious, and assured them, "Don't worry, it won't suddenly close down again."
Jiang Ling asked Xiao Qiu to take Xiao Yi away first.
Seeing that Jiang Ling was indeed unharmed and her attitude was resolute, the crowd slowly dispersed, but their eyes remained wary as they passed Qin Zhao and his guards.
Qin Zhao glanced at the sky outside. It had only been the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and the evening glow had already risen.
Just as he had predicted.
Back in the shop and seated, Jiang Yi didn't come in this time, but instead stood firmly outside the door.
Jiang Ling's tone was cold and hard: "Young master, if you close the wooden door without my permission, I'm afraid I'll have to see you out."
Qin Zhao knew he had crossed her line and knew it was not the right time to provoke her further. He showed just the right amount of helplessness and apology, and readily agreed:
"I apologize for my abruptness, young lady. I promise it will never happen again."
For the Crown Prince of the Great Yu Dynasty to do this, he had already given Jiang Ling a great deal of face.
Jiang Ling didn't know what else to say.
Qin Zhao took a sip of tea and spoke again:
"Recently, there has been much turmoil in the court. The border has achieved a great victory, and my elder brother will soon return to the capital in triumph. He has made outstanding contributions in this battle, going deep into the army, sharing weal and woe with the soldiers, and even braving arrows and stones himself, almost... He is truly admirable, and makes me, his younger brother who lives deep in the Eastern Palace, feel deeply ashamed."
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