Chapter 87 My father hasn't gone far yet, you should hurry!
Su Xiaoyu's brain, which had been malfunctioning, regained its clarity for a moment, and she stared intently at Xiao Jingheng.
He instinctively shook his head.
"I didn't, I'm not, don't talk nonsense."
Thinking of something, she disregarded etiquette and placed her hands on Xiao Jingheng's chest, pushing him back:
"Your Highness, my father hasn't gone far yet, you must hurry!"
Thinking that his father was also quite skilled in martial arts, he worried that if his father heard the commotion and came back, he would be in deep trouble.
Caught off guard, Xiao Jingheng was pushed back two steps.
But this was a servant's room, not very big, with a table just a few steps away. The room was dimly lit, and Su Xiaoyu didn't notice the surrounding furnishings in her panic.
"Thump!" Xiao Jingheng's lower back slammed into the hard wooden stool behind him, causing him to lose his balance and fall straight backward.
Su Xiaoyu was terrified and immediately tried to pull the person back.
But she underestimated the self-respect of an adult male.
Not only did they fail to retrieve the person, but they also caused their small bodies to lurch forward.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, Xiao Jingheng's back hit the ground hard, while Su Xiaoyu threw herself into his arms.
The moment their lips touched, time seemed to stand still.
The warm, soft touch came unexpectedly, and Su Xiaoyu felt a current surge from her lips throughout her body, making her stiffen and forget to breathe.
Her eyes widened, her mind went blank, and she was completely stunned.
Xiao Jingheng was also taken aback.
He held her soft, warm body in his arms, the faint scent of soapberry lingering around his nose, mixed with the slight bitterness of herbs, and her lips were soft and sweet beyond words.
This unexpected contact was like a spark falling into a parched heart, instantly igniting a raging fire within him.
A dark undercurrent surged in Xiao Jingheng's eyes, and the hand around her waist tightened unconsciously.
Almost instinctively, he tilted his head slightly, wanting to deepen the unexpected 'kiss'.
"!!!"
This subtle movement was like a thunderclap, instantly snapping Su Xiaoyu out of her daze!
She jumped up in a flustered manner, her movements were so hurried that she stumbled and almost fell again.
"Yes, yes... I'm sorry, Your Highness! I didn't mean it, I really didn't!" Su Xiaoyu's voice was trembling with tears, she was extremely nervous.
Xiao Jingheng's arms suddenly felt empty, and the soft touch and warm scent disappeared with them.
He slowly stood up, his eyes still showing displeasure at being interrupted.
"What's there to be nervous about?" He looked at the little girl who wanted to curl up into a ball, and approached her step by step, trapping her in a small space.
"Where has your audacity gone, that time of defying your superiors?"
Su Xiaoyu was stunned by those words and instinctively retorted, "This servant did not commit insubordination! That, that was an accident!"
Xiao Jingheng gave a light snort, his voice rising at the end: "If this young master says so, then so be it!"
He leaned slightly forward, his aura domineering yet alluring, his phoenix eyes as deep and cold as a still pool.
"Su Xiaoyu, you are the only person in this world who dares to defy me."
"I, the Crown Prince, grant your request."
Su Xiaoyu: "!!!"
These words struck her like a thunderbolt.
Su Xiaoyu felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her mind.
[What did he mean by that? Did he agree? Agree to what?]
[Allow her to continue...insubordination?]
Is that what you mean?
Su Xiaoyu felt that her brain was about to run out of steam.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but Xiao Jingheng had already stood up straight and stuffed a medicine packet into her hand.
"Take it."
"Remember to take the medicine to dispel wind and cold on time, or you'll become sick."
Su Xiaoyu felt a warmth in her heart.
It turned out that he came here in the middle of the night specifically to deliver medicine to me.
"The autumn hunt will be soon, and I will need to accompany you to protect you. I will be away from your residence for several days."
Xiao Jingheng suddenly brought up serious matters and instructed Su Xiaoyu, "Stay in the manor and be clever. If there's anything you can't handle, ask Lingxi for help. Don't be foolish and let others bully you again."
Su Xiaoyu nodded blankly, still not quite recovered from the sudden change in topic.
It seems the Crown Prince already knows about what happened at Wangjiang Tower during the day.
But how did he know? Did he send someone to follow him?
Su Xiaoyu was somewhat puzzled.
Just as I was hesitating whether to ask, suddenly—
Wait a minute!
What did the Crown Prince just say? Autumn hunt?
These two words were like a key to memory, instantly unlocking the floodgates of Su Xiaoyu's memory, and the plot of the original book rushed into her mind all at once.
[Oh no! According to the original plot, during this autumn hunt, the Third Prince's men will orchestrate a scene where the Crown Prince falls from his horse and is seriously injured. His Majesty will then suffer a sudden illness, unable to withstand the shock, and pass away! The Third Prince will seize the opportunity to ascend the throne, while the marquis's family, which failed to adequately protect the Crown Prince, will be stripped of their titles and imprisoned!]
Just when the Marquis's mansion was in despair, the heroine of the book, Lin Wan'er, made a deal with the Third Prince, stepping in to 'save' the Marquis's mansion and becoming its great benefactor. In the end, although the Marquis's mansion regained its reputation, it was severely weakened, and Lin Wan'er naturally married into the Marquis's mansion, becoming the heir's wife...
The thought of that ending sent a chill down Su Xiaoyu's spine, and her face turned pale instantly. Even her previous embarrassment and confusion were dispelled by the chill.
Without thinking, she grabbed Xiao Jinghengheng's sleeve.
"Your Highness, for the autumn hunt...may I come along?"
Xiao Jingheng stood there, not having had time to process her thoughts, when he found his sleeve being tugged.
Clearly, she's trying to 'interfere with the plot' herself again.
"No way." Xiao Jingheng refused without even thinking.
If she were to intervene personally, she would surely face a backlash. He absolutely could not let her take the risk again.
Seeing his decisive refusal, Su Xiaoyu panicked even more.
"Your Highness, I will be very careful and cautious. I will definitely not cause you any trouble, nor will I run around. Please let me go."
What if the plot can't be changed and the Marquis's mansion really falls?
[Moreover, unlike in the original story, Lin Wan'er hasn't started dating the heir. What if Lin Wan'er refuses to intervene? Wouldn't the Marquis's mansion be truly doomed? Therefore, I cannot take the risk!]
[If I go, I can keep an eye on the Third Prince and at least see where his traps might be hidden, or which horse might get into trouble. As long as the Crown Prince is safe, the Emperor will be safe, and the Marquis's mansion will not be implicated.]
Seeing her flustered and helpless appearance, Xiao Jingheng felt a pang of heartache in his eyes, but it was ultimately replaced by reason.
"The hunting grounds are not like the mansion. From princes and court officials to guards and hunters, it's a chaotic place with people coming and going. You're just a maid, you can't ride or shoot and you have no martial arts skills to protect yourself. If you're hit by a runaway horse or get lost in the dense forest, who can protect you in time?"
"You should rest well in the manor and not worry too much. I will make full preparations for the autumn hunt and nothing unexpected will happen."
Su Xiaoyu was distracted at the moment and didn't understand the hidden meaning in his words.
Seeing that persuasion was ineffective, she steeled herself, disregarding her image, grabbed Xiao Jingheng's sleeve and shook it, pleading with an unprecedented intensity.
"Your Highness... I beg you, please take me with you. I promise I'll be good. I've never seen a royal autumn hunt before, I'm just going to watch the fun, nothing will happen."
That coquettish tone was like a feather, gently tickling Xiao Jingheng's heart.
If he hadn't had such strong willpower, he almost would have softened and agreed.
Xiao Jingheng suppressed his inner turmoil and pretended to be serious: "Nonsense! The hunting grounds are royal hunting grounds, how can maids be allowed to enter and leave at will? If you really want to watch the excitement, I will take you there next autumn when the hunt begins."
Having said that, fearing that staying any longer would break his principles, he turned and quickly left.
His pace quickened slightly compared to when he arrived.
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