Chapter 46 Could it be that you treat every princess...?
The fine rain, like silk threads, drifted and swayed, pattering softly into the lotus pond.
Lin Xiao could use his internal energy to neutralize the effects of the alcohol; even after drinking more lotus wine, his eyes remained clear. Shen Panyan, however, was different. She was not a strong drinker and soon became quite drunk.
When she was drunk, she became quite clingy and liked to keep asking him about his past.
Her Highness already has many things on her mind, and Lin Xiao didn't want to make her even more unhappy, so he chose to tell her things that sounded interesting.
"When I first joined the Dark Guard, there was a child who cried a lot. He gave me a headache, so I came up with a way to stop him from crying. Would Your Highness like to know what it was?"
"What method?" Shen Panyan asked curiously.
Lin Xiao smiled and said, "The Dark Guard camp keeps wild wolves year-round. So I took the child to see the wolves, and then, when he wasn't looking, I secretly released the wolves and ran away. The child was chased by the wolves and howled. From then on, if he cried again, I would lie to him that there were wild wolves, and he would never dare to cry again."
After listening, Shen Panyan chuckled, "Lin Xiao, were you this naughty when you were little? Won't you get punished if the leader finds out and treats you like this?"
"He's just too noisy, nothing I say works, and I'm at my wit's end," Lin Xiao said helplessly.
"Were you punished?" Shen Panyan pressed.
Lin Xiao: "No, the leader is actually quite good and hasn't punished his subordinates much."
He was only punished by being forbidden to eat for a day. However, he was an orphan before joining the Dark Guard Camp. He didn't know his parents or where he came from. For an orphan who begged everywhere, going hungry for a day was nothing unusual.
However, there's no need to tell His Highness about this.
Your Highness is soft-hearted; you'll be unhappy to hear this.
Shen Panyan nodded, her eyes crinkling. "It sounds like your leader treats you quite well."
"Yes, that's right..."
After hearing about his past, Chen Panyan's wine flask was almost empty.
She tilted the pot, but only a single, glistening drop of water fell from the spout. "The wine is gone."
She looked up at him, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling. "Lin Xiao, could you go and get me some more wine?"
Lin Xiao snatched the wine pot from her hand, saying, "Your Highness, you are already a little drunk and cannot drink anymore."
Shen Panyan frowned slightly. "I'm not drunk. I'm perfectly sober."
She knew exactly what she wanted to do.
She stood up. "If you're not going, then I'll go by myself."
However, as soon as she stood up and took a step, she lost control and fell to the side. Lin Xiao quickly reached out to support her.
Helpless, he lowered his head and had no choice but to agree to her request, "I'll be right back, Your Highness. Please sit down and wait here for a moment."
He helped Shen Panyan sit down again, and she nodded obediently, "Okay."
Seeing that she agreed, Lin Xiao turned and left the waterside pavilion to get the wine.
As she watched his figure disappear into the hazy gauze curtain, tears suddenly streamed down her face.
She got up and went to the edge of the waterside pavilion. Looking at the fine rain outside, her eyes gradually became lonely and desolate, as if she was thinking about something.
Lin Xiao returned quickly. As soon as he entered the waterside pavilion, he did not see the girl who should be sitting at the stone table. His expression suddenly became serious, and he looked around, searching for her.
When his gaze fell on the chaise lounge beside him, his expression softened instantly.
"Your Highness."
He walked over.
What are you doing here?
Shen Panyan was leaning on the balustrade when she heard a noise behind her. She turned around, her almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents. "I'm watching the koi fish."
"Lin Xiao, the koi in this pond are all so round! Look at that one, it's so round and fat it can't swim anymore," Shen Panyan said with a smile, pointing to a round, plump white and brown koi.
Lin Xiao followed her movements and smiled, "Perhaps the person in charge of this lotus pond really likes these koi and feeds them frequently, which is why they've grown so plump."
After saying that, he reached out and shielded her from the swaying raindrops blowing in front of her. "Your Highness, it's raining. You're already feeling better, so you shouldn't sit here."
Shen Panyan shook her head: "I don't want to, I want to sit here."
After saying that, she remembered something and turned to look at him, "Where's my wine, Lin Xiao?"
The wine was in his hand, but looking at her rosy cheeks and shimmering eyes, Lin Xiao hesitated, unsure whether he should continue to offer the wine to His Highness.
His Highness appears to be quite drunk.
He didn't say anything, but Shen Panyan saw it herself, reached out and snatched the wine pot from his hand.
Without a wine cup, Shen Panyan simply held the spout of the pot in his mouth and drank it all in one gulp.
She's already in poor health, how can she drink so much alcohol now?
Lin Xiao quickly reached out to stop him, his expression unusually serious. "Your Highness, you are not feeling well, you cannot drink anymore."
The wine jug was suddenly snatched away, and Shen Panyan coughed violently, "Cough cough cough—"
Lin Xiao quickly patted her back to help, his eyes filled with regret and guilt. "I'm sorry, Your Highness."
If he hadn't acted too quickly, His Highness wouldn't have choked on the wine.
Tears welled up in Shen Panyan's eyes, which turned red, and it took her a long time to catch her breath.
She looked up at him, her almond-shaped eyes like the moon reflected in autumn water, hazy and indistinct.
Lin Xiao pursed his lips. "Your Highness, if you're feeling down, then just cry it out. Your silence only makes me more worried..."
"You're worried about me?" Shen Panyan suddenly stood up and moved closer to him. "Why are you worried about me?"
Lin Xiao never expected His Highness to suddenly stand up and approach him step by step.
Her movements weren't forceful, yet he felt enveloped by her, her hazy eyes, her fair cheeks, her luscious lips before him, making him utterly uneasy. He panicked, taking steps back, "Because you are a princess..."
"Just because I'm a princess?" Shen Panyan asked, as if she had heard something amusing.
"There are many princesses in this Zhaoyan Imperial City. Do you treat every single one of them the same way?"
"What if I weren't a princess? Would you then disown me?"
"No!!" he quickly explained, "It's also because you are Linxiao's master..."
"Whether you are a princess or not, you are the master of Linxiao."
She was his master, the master he had chosen for himself, the only master in his life.
"Really?" Shen Panyan suddenly leaned closer to him, her almond-shaped eyes seeming to speak volumes, brimming with autumn water.
He knew that His Highness was extremely beautiful, but now that he was so close, with the fragrance of flowers and wine wafting over him at the same time, for some reason, his throat gradually became dry.
"Yes, yes..."
He retreated repeatedly, his palms gradually sweating. He had never been so nervous and afraid, even when facing the most powerful enemy.
But... the pavilion was only so big, and he suddenly crashed into the railing, with nowhere to retreat.
Shen Panyan had no intention of letting him off so easily. Lin Xiao quickly turned his head away to avoid her gaze, but the faint floral scent mixed with the strong aroma of alcohol wafted into his nostrils, inescapable and everywhere, impossible to hide from or escape.
Shen Panyan looked at him, her almond-shaped eyes filled with longing, "Then swear, swear that you will only recognize me as your master for the rest of your life, and never betray me."
Lin Xiao was slightly taken aback. He turned around and looked at the girl in front of him with a sigh of relief. It turned out that she wanted him to swear that as long as she didn't get close to him like she had just done.
He made this vow without any hesitation.
"Lin Xiao swears that in this life, His Highness will be his only master. Lin Xiao is willing to be the sharpest blade in His Highness's hand, and will never betray His Highness in this life, and will always protect His Highness. If he breaks the above oath, he is willing to suffer the cruelest punishment in this world and never be reincarnated."
His vow was solemn, sincere, and burning, leaving Shen Panyan stunned on the spot, her eyelashes trembling.
She hurriedly lowered her head.
Shen Panyan truly felt like a despicable person. Even though Lin Xiao had never betrayed her and had always been on her side, human nature's tendency to be suspicious made her repeatedly confirm his loyalty.
Her knuckles clenched tightly. She didn't want to say it; her heart told her not to test Lin Xiao anymore. But she bit her lip and still said those words.
"Lin Xiao, could you please take off your mask?"
"I want to see what you really look like."
He once said that only his true master could see the true face of the secret guard.
Will she be his true master?
Although she had already seen it, she still wanted to confirm it again.
Lin Xiao's gaze fell on her, and without hesitation, he reached out and took off his mask.
When the black mask was removed, a true face, no longer disguised, was revealed beneath. Sunlight fell on the face hidden in the darkness. A gentle breeze lifted his hair, revealing a sharp jawline, pale and handsome features. A small mole on the tip of his nose gave his seemingly indifferent face an inexplicable allure.
Shen Panyan slowly loosened her clenched fingers, then smiled and said, "Lin Xiao, you are very handsome."
Lin Xiao was slightly taken aback.
"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness."
He laughed along, his smile innocent, his eyes bright and beautiful, like tender buds rustling through branches in spring, sunlight streaming in, dazzling someone's eyes.
When he had an ordinary face, he could still make her heart flutter. Now, facing his true face, how could she control her heartbeat...? Shen Panyan clenched her knuckles, as if she was thinking, or as if she was hesitating.
He was telling the truth; he wasn't lying to her. His feelings were so genuine; how could she possibly repay him?
He likes her, so she should give him her affection.
Shen Panyan felt that she might really be drunk. In the past, she would never have done such a thing.
She reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, as if she had made up her mind. Her eyelashes trembled, and suddenly she stood on tiptoe, her red lips landing on his cool, soft lips, a fleeting touch.
Lin Xiao's pupils dilated suddenly, and he froze on the spot.
The crisp aroma of wine and flowers reached his nose, and the soft touch on his lips was like a butterfly fluttering by, lingering only briefly before departing.
Even though she was the one who took the initiative first, he seemed more at a loss than she was.
"Your Highness..." It took her a long time to react, her voice hoarse.
"You..." His mind was a mess, he was flustered and confused, he stood there helplessly, his heart pounding faster than a drum.
After Shen Panyan released him, she was initially nervous, but seeing his even more nervous and bewildered face, she found it amusing.
"I'm not going to eat you, what are you afraid of?"
Lin Xiao was speechless. "Your Highness..."
He lowered his head, his voice filled with confusion and grievance, "Lin Xiao doesn't understand..."
He didn't understand why she did that.
The shadow warned him not to covet the princess, but he still did, and even secretly recognized the princess as his master, betraying his former master. If His Highness didn't need him, he would do everything in his power to be by His Highness's side.
However, none of that includes this situation...
Shen Panyan smiled, looking at his bewildered expression, a sly glint in her eyes. She leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear, "You don't understand? Well, let me tell you. Didn't you say I'm your master? Then I can do whatever I want to you, right?"
Lin Xiao was stunned. "Yes..."
Shen Panyan: "That's it."
After saying that, she touched his lips again. However, just as she was about to pull away, she was suddenly pulled up by the waist, and his cold, soft lips pressed against hers.
Shen Panyan's almond-shaped eyes widened. She was just teasing him... how could she really... However, she still knew too little about him.
He may not understand, but he will learn.
No one is born knowing how to do something. Just like her hair bun, she didn't know how to do it at first, but after watching the palace maids do it so many times, she learned how.
In the blink of an eye, their positions were completely reversed.
Shen Panyan leaned against the railing, her head cushioned by a hand. It didn't hurt, but she was very flustered.
His kisses were like a beginner's cautious exploration, gradually turning into the control of a skilled person, trying to pry open her defenses and reveal her softness.
If you're talking about being assertive, no, it's more like seeking knowledge, getting answers, or trying to please—yes, trying to please.
She is his master; if she likes it, then he will give it to her.
His breaths were fine and soft, brushing against her nose and cheeks like snowflakes, one by one, more alluring than the spring breeze outside.
She tried to push him away, but her arms were too weak. She wanted to open her lips and ask him to release her, but the words were all stuck between her lips. She wanted to escape, but she couldn't escape his hold.
His body pressed close to hers, so close that she could almost feel the firm, powerful waist and abdomen beneath his close-fitting martial robe. A sudden image flashed through Shen Panyan's mind: when Lin Xiao awoke from his coma, his undergarment had accidentally slipped down, revealing his fair skin and well-defined muscles...
Stop, stop thinking about it!
Her body felt as soft as spring water in his arms, and Chen Panyan's face and ears turned red.
She could feel her heartbeat becoming increasingly uncontrollable. She didn't resist, so he could continue... When his kiss landed on her neck, Shen Panyan's hazy mind finally cleared a little.
--Can't! !
She braced herself and gently pushed his body with her soft arms.
This cannot continue.
If she really falls into depravity, who knows what will happen next... She's not prepared for that yet.
The moment she moved, Lin Xiao noticed it instantly, and the alluring spring breeze stopped.
A cool breeze blew past the two of them, carrying away the sweltering heat.
“Your Highness…” His voice was hoarse as his gaze fell on her soft, flower-petal-like red lips, which seemed to have been kneaded.
"Don't you like it?"
"You said you're Linxiao's master, and you can do whatever you want..."
Shen Panyan blushed, unwilling to recall the incident.
She covered her head, pretending to have a terrible headache. The words she had just spoken and her current panicked state rushed back to her. "I..."
"I...I have a terrible headache, Lin Xiao, let me go back and rest..."
She had no idea how to face him. She was a timid person to begin with, and the alcohol had emboldened her a bit, but now that the effects of the alcohol had worn off, she was perfectly sober.
She was afraid that if she didn't leave soon, she would want to disappear into the ground, hide behind the stone table, hide in any place where he wasn't. She really did what she had done; she would never drink again, she really would never drink again.
She pushed him away and staggered towards the outside of the waterside pavilion. Lin Xiao quickly reached out to support her, but Shen Panyan seemed to be burned and hurriedly dodged his touch.
Overwhelmed with excitement, she stumbled back several steps, and before she knew it, she was falling backward and about to crash into the lotus pond.
"Your Highness!!"
Her waist was suddenly grabbed and pulled into his arms. Lin Xiao led her across the lotus pond, his toes barely touching the water, and headed straight for the West Garden.
A light rain was falling, but she was held tightly in someone's arms, and not a single strand of her hair was wet.
Shen Panyan gripped his clothes tightly with her knuckles, her cheeks flushing again. She felt she had been so wicked.
Even though Lin Xiao doesn't understand anything, she still deliberately led him to do that kind of thing... She really is too wicked.
Yet, a faint joy lingered in my heart.
The wind blew by, carrying the sound of her rapidly beating heart.
*
Lin Xiao wanted to apologize, but when he returned to the West Garden, His Highness was already asleep.
He had no choice but to take off her shoes and socks, remove her hairpins and ornaments, tuck her in, lower the curtains, and disappear from the room.
*
Shen Panyan wasn't asleep. She just didn't know how to face Lin Xiao, so she decided to play the ostrich.
At first, she pretended to be asleep, but later she actually fell asleep.
She had been drinking, and was feeling dizzy and had a headache.
She slept until the afternoon. The drizzling rain outside the window had long since stopped, and the young palace maid who was guarding outside heard the noise from inside and brought over a bowl of hangover soup that had been warmed for a long time.
"Princess, you're awake." A palace maid handed her a hangover soup. "This is the hangover soup that Lord Linxiao instructed me to give you."
Linxiao... a hangover remedy?
Shen Panyan propped herself up and rubbed her head. Fragments of memories gradually surfaced in her mind, and Shen Panyan froze.
Warm breaths, lingering kisses... she wished she could disappear into the ground. She hurriedly said, "I understand. The hangover soup is over there; I'll drink it later. You may leave!"
"Yes." The young palace maid bowed and withdrew.
As the door closed, Shen Panyan buried her head in the pillow, her burning red cheeks hidden from view.
Shen Panyan tossed and turned in bed until dusk, finally calming her chaotic and tense thoughts and managing to get out of bed.
Although she didn't know how to face Lin Xiao, he didn't show up until evening, and she started to worry again.
Could something have happened to him?
Shen Panyan was panicked and finally decided to muster up the courage to call him out, but he did not appear as before.
She opened the door and asked the young palace maid, "Where is Lin Xiao?"
The palace maid shook her head, "Your Highness, this servant hasn't seen Lord Linxiao for a long time."
After asking several people but not hearing of Lin Xiao, Shen Panyan frowned. Where did Lin Xiao go?
She recalled that he had also mysteriously disappeared last time and was seriously injured. If she hadn't found him in time, he definitely wouldn't have survived until the next day.
Thinking of this, Shen Panyan began to get anxious.
Just as she was about to take people out to look for him, Lin Xiao's figure suddenly appeared in front of her.
"Your Highness."
Shen Panyan stood by the window and heard a sound coming from outside. She looked up and saw a young man standing in black, holding something in his arms. His long hair, tied up high, was wet and stuck to his body, with many withered leaves clinging to his clothes. He looked quite disheveled.
The candlelight flickered, illuminating his face, and his eyes, as he looked at her, seemed to be lit by the candlelight, brimming with starlight. Lin Xiao carefully handed her what he was carrying.
"Your Highness, this is for you!"
It was a tiny snowball.
Its entire body was pure white, except for its black and white tail, which looked quite interesting. Snowball was placed on the desk, its sapphire-blue eyes wide and watery. As soon as it saw Chen Panyan, it waddled towards her, gently nuzzled her head, and let out a soft, childish "Meow~".
Shen Panyan froze, her almond-shaped eyes widening slightly in surprise, "—Li Nu!"
This little raccoon is so cute! It has pointed ears, a round body, and big, round eyes. Shen Panyan likes it very much no matter how she looks at it, and her eyes and brows can't help but show their affection.
"Thank you, Lin Xiao." She looked up.
Where did he find that raccoon dog? And he got all disheveled.
Lin Xiao smiled, "I'm glad Your Highness likes it."
As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I was rude before..."
Shen Panyan paused, her voice trailing off as she was about to ask a question, her gaze shifting unfocused.
"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly apologizing to me?" Shen Panyan blinked and pretended to be stupid. "Look at you, you're all disheveled and covered in dead leaves. Go back and change your clothes."
Lin Xiao was taken aback at first, then looked up, grabbed the windowsill with both hands, and flipped himself in, standing in front of her with his eyes fixed on her. "Your Highness, don't you remember, this morning..."
"What happened this morning?" Shen Panyan blinked, turning her head away to avoid his gaze, seemingly trying hard to remember but unable to recall anything. "This morning, I felt a little unhappy, so I invited you to walk with me at the waterside pavilion. Later, I drank some wine and then fell asleep. What happened?"
She would never bring this up. Absolutely not!!
Lin Xiao stared intently at her, making Shen Panyan extremely uncomfortable, but she still tried her best to maintain an air of complete ignorance.
Why are you looking at me like that?
"What's wrong, Lin Xiao?"
"Am I really that bad-mannered after drinking?" she frowned. "If that's the case, then I absolutely must never touch alcohol again."
Lin Xiao pursed his lips. His Highness's acting skills were not good, and were even somewhat clumsy.
He could see her resistance.
Does Your Highness not like me?
Realizing this, all the joy in my heart vanished in that instant.
His voice was stiff. "It's nothing."
"Your Highness is not in good health. In the future, please drink less alcohol."
After saying this, he bowed and said, "This subordinate takes his leave."
Shen Panyan didn't know what had happened when he went out that afternoon, but seeing how quickly his attitude changed, her heart skipped a beat.
Could it be that he figured it out?
Looking at the wobbly little snowball on the table, Shen Panyan bit her lip tightly.
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