Who exactly is she?
As soon as she said it, Gu Jinning realized she had misspoke. Just as she was relieved that she had used Ji Lin's voice, she turned around and saw Xiao Heng'an standing three feet away, looking at her with a strange expression.
"Cousin." Gu Jinning regained her gentle demeanor, biting her lower lip shyly, "I don't know how to use the finesse, and I can't seem to get it right. Can you help me, cousin?"
She half-bowed and half-raised her eyes, perfectly embodying a shy and coy demeanor.
Xiao Heng'an watched quietly, as if trying to see through her disguise and see her true colors.
But the person in front of me is too good at pretending.
"Cousin?" Gu Jinning called softly again, already standing in front of him, drawing her bow. "Look, is this the right way?"
Xiao Heng'an snapped out of his daze, glanced over, and corrected him coldly, "The bow is too low, raise it."
Gu Jinning moved her arm up slightly. "How about this?"
Xiao Heng'an then said, "Relax your body and pull back with even force using all five fingers."
Gu Jinning did as instructed, and as she was about to let go, she deliberately tightened her grip on the arrow's fletching with her right hand, as if to release it.
Xiao Heng'an quickly grabbed her wrist and criticized her sternly, "Your fingers are too close; be careful not to get scratched."
"Oh." Gu Jinning nervously twisted and turned her fingers, unable to get them into the right position, and asked for help embarrassedly, "But, how exactly should I put them?"
Gu Jinning stepped forward reluctantly, pushed the bow toward Xiao Heng'an, and waited for him to demonstrate.
Xiao Heng'an froze, motionless, only looking down at her. Gu Jinning tilted her head, smiled gently at him, and accepted his scrutiny openly.
A moment later, Xiao Heng'an grasped the bow.
Gu Jinning loosened her grip slightly, her fingers slowly moving upwards until they touched his hand. Then she shook her right hand and asked, "How should I hold this hand?"
Xiao Heng'an saw through her tricks, but he felt no disgust at her showing off; in fact, he felt a sense of familiarity.
The closer he got, the clearer this feeling became, making him desperately want to know the answer: "Who exactly is she?"
Xiao Heng'an gripped the bow with his right hand, ignoring her restless movements, and taught her how to draw the bow and release the arrow with a blank expression.
There was actually about two fists' width between the two, but from Yang Yu and the others' perspective, Xiao Heng'an and Gu Jinning appeared to be pressed tightly together, behaving very intimately.
The arrow shot out with a "whoosh," powerful and piercing straight through the heart.
"So that's how it is. It's really that simple."
Gu Jinning feigned joy and looked up, only to meet Xiao Heng'an's deep gaze looking down at her.
She seemed to hear Xiao Heng'an's heartbeat, and inexplicably panicked. She hurriedly avoided his gaze, grabbed an arrow from the side, nocked it, and pretended to fiddle with the bow and arrow.
Xiao Heng'an had already keenly noticed the momentary lapse in concentration and began to speculate.
Do you know Princess Jin Ning?
He raised his hand and expertly adjusted her posture. It was as if that arrow had completely brought them closer together.
Gu Jinning aimed at the arrow and smiled slightly: "Of course, Princess Jinning's reputation is widespread, and she is engaged to my cousin, which is known to everyone."
"Have you seen her?"
Gu Jinning shook her head, "Although I've never met her, I was fortunate enough to share a cell with her in the Ministry of Justice prison and hear a lot from her. Because of her, the prison was quite lively, which helped me get through my most desperate moment."
She spoke frankly, and her words revealed her gratitude towards Gu Jinning, which didn't seem fake.
Xiao Heng'an couldn't find any clue in her expression, so he let go and turned to leave.
Gu Jinning suddenly cried out "Ouch!" and released the arrow, losing her balance and falling into Xiao Heng'an's arms.
Caught off guard, Xiao Heng'an stiffly braced himself on his sides, unsure whether to push or touch, and turned his head to look for help from Yang Yu and the others not far away.
Yang Yu shrugged, indicating that he couldn't help.
There were only men present, so it wouldn't be appropriate for anyone to help.
"Cousin, I feel a little dizzy." Gu Jinning leaned against his chest, her voice weak. "I can hardly breathe, I think I have heatstroke."
Gu Jinning frowned, her vision blurred, and she instinctively hugged Xiao Heng'an to make sure she wouldn't fall to the ground in a sorry state.
She was truly dizzy and only hoped that Xiao Heng'an would send her back quickly so that he could untie the damned cloth belt around her waist.
Seeing that her face was pale and that she wasn't faking it, Xiao Heng'an had no choice but to pick her up and call out, "Song Hui, call the doctor."
Gu Jinning was still struggling, "No need for that, just give me a bowl of mung bean soup to cool me down."
Before he could finish speaking, he had already fainted.
When Gu Jinning woke up, she was already back in bed, with an ice bucket placed beside her. Judging from the style of the ice bucket, it was clear that it was a gift from the government.
"Master, you're awake."
Chu Lang peeked out from behind the bed curtains, took out a bowl of chilled mung bean soup from the ice bucket, and handed it to Gu Jinning with a grin.
"The doctor said you have heatstroke. Just rest more and avoid being in the sun. It just so happens that the palace sent ice to His Highness to help him cool down, and His Highness ordered it to be sent here directly."
Gu Jinning touched the cloth belt around her waist; it was still intact. She turned her head and saw Chu Lang smiling at her.
"I have heatstroke, what are you laughing at? If the belt around my waist wasn't so tight, I wouldn't be like this." Gu Jinning tried to regain her dignity. "Ha, heatstroke? What a joke! I'm a female knight-errant!"
After saying that, Gu Jinning emphasized, "Don't let this get out."
Chu Lang raised both hands and promised never to tell anyone.
"Master, I noticed that His Highness was very thoughtful, bringing you back and sending you ice. Things are going well today."
Gu Jinning proudly raised her head, "That's right, there's no one I can't win over."
Although getting heatstroke is a bit embarrassing, it was a lucky accident that won Xiao Heng'an's sympathy, which can be considered progress. At least he won't have to suffer under the sun anymore.
So, it's time to take further action.
Gu Jinning smiled mischievously and whispered, "Spread some rumors, like the Prince of Jin and Miss Biao are behaving intimately, you know what I mean. Also, make a cicada-catching net, I need it."
Today's battle showed that Xiao Heng'an is not an insurmountable mountain. Given time, he will surely be defeated!
The person being manipulated is now in a state of unease because of her provocation.
"You can't play like that; you have to respect the rules."
"Who cares about the rules, as long as you hit the target."
Xiao Heng'an leaned against the window, the words from the shooting range echoing in his ears, and his eyes saw a different scene through the bows and arrows hanging on the wall.
"Your Highness?"
Song Ming's silent appearance interrupted Xiao Heng'an's reverie.
Song Ming reported: "I've asked them over there. Because the prison guards were reprimanded by Lord Wang for their gathering and revelry last time, and the princess has been in a bad mood lately, they haven't been causing any more trouble and have been behaving much better."
Xiao Heng'an suspected, "Has she been in prison all this time?"
Song Ming replied, "Yes, I did not see the princess go out."
Xiao Heng'an still had doubts. He turned around, picked up his clothes, sat down, and tapped the table lightly with his index finger, asking, "How is Ji Lin?"
Song Ming replied: "After all the male members of the Ji family were beheaded, Ji's mother and Madam Ji passed away one after another. Miss Ji was so heartbroken that she often fainted in prison, but there were no other abnormalities."
Therefore, Ji Lin and Gu Jinning will not have any interaction.
But what's with that familiar feeling during the day?
Thinking of this, Xiao Heng'an immediately got up and left the house, intending to go to the prison to find out what was going on.
Halfway there, Yang Yu arrived to inform General Li Jinghe that he had returned to the capital and was already at the city gate. Xiao Heng'an had no choice but to change course to meet Li Jinghe.
The next day, the sky was mostly cloudy. Gu Jinning, dressed lightly, took her cicada-catching net to the garden to cool off.
After adjustments, the manor is now running smoothly, with guards and servants performing their duties in an orderly manner.
However, since there were no women in the household, everyone who saw Miss Biao consciously kept their distance to avoid overstepping their bounds.
Thus, Gu Jinning was left alone in the garden. And in the unseen shadows, there were always busybodies watching.
Pretending not to know that there were people around, Gu Jinning lifted her skirt with one hand and carried the net with the other, tiptoed and took small steps, searching for the cicadas hiding in the trees.
Upon spotting the cicada, she raised the net pole, reached close to the tree trunk, and gently snapped it in. The cicada was caught in the net and chirped loudly.
Gu Jinning smiled with satisfaction, swung the net towards Chu Lang, and said in a light tone, "Caught another one."
Chu Lang took out the cicada and put it into the bamboo bag, praising it along with his words. Gu Jin Ning covered her mouth and smiled, showing her girlish charm.
Few can resist the innocence and naivety of a young girl; it is a kind of beauty that everyone yearns for in their hearts.
Xiao Heng'an accompanied Li Ranyi to the garden, where they saw a strange sight: a crowd of people.
They huddled near the artificial stone pavilion, rummaging through the bushes and flowers, peering around with great interest as they watched people catching cicadas in the garden.
As soon as Xiao Heng'an appeared, everyone scurried away.
Xiao Heng'an saw a beautiful figure in the garden, light and agile, like a summer butterfly, frolicking and enjoying herself.
In a daze, he saw another beautiful figure overlap and merge with him.
She ran all over the mountain, then turned back and waved to him, "Xiao Wangshu, hurry up!"
Wangshu was the courtesy name Gu Jinning gave him.
Xiao Heng'an's brows unconsciously relaxed, and a gentle look appeared on his cold face.
Suddenly, someone in the distance turned around and looked, and Ji Lin's face came into view. Xiao Heng'an immediately composed himself.
Li Ranyi, who was walking with him, keenly noticed his change and smiled meaningfully, "Your Highness seems to be quite conflicted about Miss Biao."
Xiao Heng'an invited her to rest in the pavilion and confessed, "I don't know why, but whenever I see her back, I feel a little dazed, but when I see her face, I don't feel that way anymore."
Li Ranyi smiled and nodded, hitting the nail on the head, "I have to admit, she attracted you."
Li Ranyi was Li Jinghe's only daughter. She was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, knew etiquette and manners, and was also adept at martial arts, accompanying her father on military campaigns. Her unique experiences made her always rational in her thinking.
Xiao Heng'an tacitly agreed, "Her purpose is too obvious."
Li Ranyi followed his gaze to the person slowly walking towards them in the garden, and said with a smile, "I don't think she's a bad person. She just wants to find protection in the manor. The princess will be happy to take care of her."
These words were spoken in a tactful yet direct manner, and Xiao Heng'an could easily understand their meaning.
"Don't worry, my engagement with Jin Ning will not be broken." Xiao Heng'an's certainty was also a promise to himself.
Li Ranyi nodded, then shook her head and chuckled helplessly as she thought of Gu Jinning, "She is indeed a bit willful."
"cousin."
Gu Jinning entered the pavilion and greeted them, giving Li Ranyi a polite smile. She noticed that Li Ranyi's face looked familiar, but couldn't quite place who she was.
Li Ranyi smiled back and looked her up and down with the same generous manner.
"Hello, Miss, I am Li Ranyi." Li Ranyi spoke first.
"Hello, Miss Li."
Gu Jinning politely bowed, then suddenly realized that she was none other than Li Ranyi, the niece of her aunt, a model of the noble young men and women in the capital. No wonder she looked familiar.
Seeing you today, you are indeed upright and proper. No wonder her grandfather always scolds her with, "Look at Li Ranyi, a model of a prestigious family. And look at you, a perfect example. What a tyrant of the capital, an unruly playboy, you have completely disgraced the Gu family."
Thinking of this, Gu Jinning couldn't help but laugh, so she quickly took out a handkerchief and pretended to wipe her sweat to cover the upturned corners of her mouth.
"Oh dear, I've gotten a bit hot after catching cicadas for a while. Miss Li, do you like cicadas?"
Gu Jinning took the bamboo bag from Chu Lang's hand and held it up for Li Ranyi to see.
A bamboo basket full of cicadas huddled together, chirping and twittering.
Li Ranyi shook her head and asked, "What are these cicadas for?"
Gu Jinning replied, "I heard that cicadas have medicinal value and taste good. I had nothing to do, so I caught some for my cousin to roast and eat."
"Cousin, how are you?" She turned to Xiao Heng'an for his opinion, her big, watery eyes blinking.
Upon seeing the cicadas and hearing their incessant chirping, Xiao Heng'an couldn't help but think of the scene of Gu Jinning playing with cicadas and the cicada jars that Gu Jinning had thrown away. He felt a mix of emotions and remained silent.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, Gu Jinning didn't care whether he wanted it or not and directly stuffed the bamboo bag into Song Hui's hand.
Song Hui looked at Xiao Heng'an with a troubled expression, but seeing that he did not intend to refuse, he had no choice but to accept.
Li Ranyi smiled and said, "Miss Cousin has done a great job for His Highness."
Gu Jinning replied generously, "Of course."
Just then, Yang Yu arrived in a hurry, approached Xiao Heng'an and whispered in his ear, "Your Highness, the person has arrived."
The atmosphere changed almost imperceptibly in an instant.
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