A golden opportunity
A hint of doubt rose in the eyes of Changfeng, who stood as still as a rock. He hesitated briefly between the prince and Gu Jinghong, then lowered his eyes and silently withdrew.
With a soft "bang," the door closed.
Gu Jinghong stared in the direction where Changfeng had disappeared and suddenly understood Xiao Chengyan's intention.
An unidentified woman goes to great lengths, even risking her life, to infiltrate the Prince's mansion and get close to him.
She kept saying "admiration," and cried her eyes out, only to have her clothes "accidentally" disheveled... Why does this scene seem so familiar?
That's right, she's just like those secret spies in Zhuoyue Tower who use their beauty as a weapon and their bodies as bait to extract secrets!
Therefore, at this moment, in Xiao Chengyan's eyes, Gu Jinghong was already a woman who approached him with ulterior motives and disregarded her innocence.
The "proof" he spoke of was to tear off Gu Jinghong's last fig leaf.
Gu Jinghong frowned, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes, which she quickly suppressed.
Xiao Chengyan, however, watched the changes in Gu Jinghong's expression thoughtfully, then took a half step closer, his expression deep and unfathomable: "What do you mean, Miss Gu?"
Too close!
Gu Jinghong felt Xiao Chengyan's coldness mixed with his surging anger rushing towards her.
She desperately wanted to back away, her fingers even touching the short arrow hidden in her sleeve, but she stiffened her back and secretly took a deep breath to stop herself.
Is the head of the Qianyuan Pavilion really just a figurehead with a hollow reputation?
“Yes…” Gu Jinghong said, as she untied the sash of her outer cloak, she looked steadily at Xiao Chengyan. “Your Highness has given the order, and Jinghong dares not disobey.”
hiss--
A ribbon was pulled out, "But Jinghong is still young, and her admiration is too intense..."
hiss--
Another ribbon was pulled out, and the cloak fell to the ground. "I inexplicably feel a desire to understand and be close to everything related to the Prince..."
She reached out to unbutton her coat, her slender fingers trembling slightly.
"Your Highness requires proof of your remarkable talent. I've been thinking about it..."
One, two, three—the coat fell off, gently landing above the cloak, like two people finally forced to come together and fight.
"It seems that Jinghong's excessive excitement in seeking the Prince just now angered him..."
She gently bit her lip and then went to unbutton her undergarment—
At this moment, Gu Jinghong looked very aggrieved, but in her heart she was certain that Xiao Chengyan could not accept it calmly.
Yun Ni clearly stated that day that his inherent aloofness was enough to keep people at arm's length, which must have been a subconscious aversion to women. Therefore, he definitely didn't really want to see her "undress." This would be torture for her, and it would be no different for him.
At this moment, Gu Jinghong had already taken off her inner garment, revealing a plain-colored undergarment that she wore close to her body, as thin as paper.
Xiao Chengyan stood directly in front of her, his posture as upright as a mountain, yet as cold and indifferent as ice, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he were seeing an object rather than a person.
As the two sides confronted each other, Gu Jinghong's slightly cool fingertips finally began to tremble slightly, almost unconsciously.
—Yunni is experienced; surely she wouldn't make a mistake on something this simple!
Fortunately, Gu Jinghong still had a trump card up her sleeve.
Her beautiful eyes began to well up with tears, and the red mole at the end of her eyebrow seemed to be about to burst into flames: "If... if this can prove Jinghong's admiration for the Prince, Jinghong is willing..."
With a few deft movements, the ties of her inner garment were untied, and the hem of her robe slipped slightly to the sides.
Her delicate, porcelain-like skin was exposed to the cool air. The candlelight flickered, and in the interplay of light and shadow, a crimson butterfly mark appeared beneath her exquisite collarbone, as if it were alive and about to take flight.
Gu Jinghong raised her tearful eyes and stared straight at the cold, aloof figure. Her left hand involuntarily touched the small arrow, a sense of despair rising within her. The silent countdown began—"Five, four, three, two..."
That's enough.
Xiao Chengyan's voice suddenly rang out.
At some point, a hint of red appeared in his icy, piercing eyes. Although they remained cold and sharp, they seemed to carry a trace of stagnation, as if they had been suddenly scalded by something, but he forcibly suppressed it, leaving only a cold weariness in the end.
Gu Jinghong froze instantly, her fingers still resting on that small sash.
She raised her tear-filled face and looked at him: "Your Highness..."
Xiao Chengyan had already looked away and slowly walked back to the long table, his voice calm: "If you really have nowhere to go, then stay in the mansion."
Gu Jinghong's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and she hurriedly bent down to pick up the clothes on the ground and put them back on one by one.
Xiao Chengyan didn't even look up at her, and it was unclear how he knew Gu Jinghong's condition. He simply instructed her calmly as she finished dressing, "Changfeng, take her downstairs and settle her in."
The study door opened silently, and Changfeng Rushan's figure stood in the doorway, his gaze sweeping over Gu Jinghong's pale face and still disheveled clothes with a complicated expression.
"Young lady, please come with me."
Gu Jinghong slowly put on her cloak, bowed deeply to the cold, aloof figure behind the desk, and said in a choked and humble voice, "Thank you... Your Highness for taking me in."
Xiao Chengyan did not respond further.
Gu Jinghong lowered her head and followed Chang Feng's burly figure out of the suffocating study.
The biting night wind, like invisible icy blades, sliced through the winding, secluded corridors of the Prince Jin's mansion, and also brushed against Gu Jinghong's exposed neck and cheeks.
She instinctively wrapped her slightly disheveled coat tighter around herself, her steps unsteady, her body swaying slightly, looking utterly frightened and weak.
However, beneath her lowered eyelids, the tears had already been wiped away.
Every glance, every pause, and every subtle, almost imperceptible change in Xiao Chengyan's demeanor in the study just now was rapidly swirling in her mind, being deduced and analyzed.
The best news is that Princess Yongning, who has a butterfly mark on her collarbone, holds a greater place in Xiao Chengyan's heart than she expected—a place so significant that it is enough to shake his icy defenses and cause him to lose his composure.
But an even more thorny fact emerged—Gu Jinghong had never relied on any man's affection for a woman to achieve her goals in her life, and in this regard, she was almost clumsy.
At this moment, Yun Ni, who could guide people through this love-hate relationship, was far away at Zhuoyue Tower.
What should we do?
She followed Changfeng in silence, her thoughts churning. Before she could think further, the view suddenly opened up before her, and Changfeng had stopped in front of an elegant courtyard.
The clear moonlight illuminated the three large characters "Chun Shen Yuan" on the lintel.
This garden has an excellent location, separated from Xiao Chengyan's residence, "Chen'an Residence," by only a few courtyards with lush flowers and trees. Everyone in the Prince's mansion knows that the Prince does not like women to be by his side at all times, and there are no rooms for female servants prepared in Chen'an Residence.
Chun Shen Garden was originally prepared as a residence for the future princess. However, since the prince has remained unmarried for a long time, Chun Shen Garden has become deserted and increasingly desolate.
Later, with the prince's tacit approval, the steward of the Prince's mansion allowed Zhixin, Xiao Chengyan's personal maid who had served him for five years, to move into a side room in Chun Shen Garden.
As soon as Gu Jinghong stepped into the courtyard, she saw a woman dressed in a light blue silk dress standing gracefully at the door of the side room. She curtsied to Changfeng and said in a gentle voice, "Lord Changfeng."
Changfeng nodded slightly. "This is Gu Jinghong. He will keep you company."
The woman in green, named Zhixin, bowed to Changfeng and immediately smiled warmly. She affectionately took Gu Jinghong's slightly cool hand and led her inside.
That night, all was quiet.
Once Zhi Xin's breathing became long and steady, Gu Jinghong quietly sat up in the darkness.
Her eyes were clear and bright. She took out a piece of paper as thin as a cicada's wing and a specially made charcoal pencil from under her pillow. With the help of the faint moonlight filtering through the window, she quickly wrote down the current situation in extremely simple language.
After finishing writing, she carefully rolled up the plain paper and took out a dark, black iron magnet from her inner pocket.
She placed the magnet in her palm and gently tapped it with her fingertips.
A moment later, a very faint, almost inaudible flapping sound came from outside the window. A delicately crafted mechanical bird, entirely black, no bigger than a palm, and shaped like an owl, quietly landed on the windowsill.
Gu Jinghong raised his hand and gently pressed a spot on the smooth belly of the mechanical bird. A very slight clicking sound rang out – “click” – and a small hidden compartment popped open in the bird’s belly.
She quickly stuffed the rolled-up note into it. The obsidian eyes of the mechanical bird seemed to flash extremely fast, then it silently flapped its wings and took flight, transforming into a shadow that blended into the night, flying swiftly towards the direction of Zhuoyue Tower.
...
For several days in a row, Gu Jinghong behaved herself and acted like a submissive maid.
Although she was called a maid, she actually had a very leisurely life.
Her only gain was that, under the guise of sweeping, she familiarized herself with the layout of the outer courtyard of Chen'an Residence, but the core area leading to the study and inner rooms remained heavily fortified.
That afternoon, as usual, after the prince left the mansion, Zhixin went to Chen'an Residence to tidy up the inner rooms.
She specially brought Gu Jinghong along: "Miss Gu, you will come in with me today to learn some manners. The prince does not like others touching his belongings, and everything must be placed as it was originally."
Gu Jinghong's heart stirred; this was an opportunity she had longed for.
She immediately showed a flattered expression and replied in a low voice, "Yes, thank you for your guidance, Sister Zhixin."
The interior of Chen'an Residence is simply furnished, almost coldly.
The room is predominantly black, and apart from essential furniture and shelves full of military books and strategies, there are almost no playthings or decorations.
A faint scent of spikenard filled the air.
Zhi Xin skillfully began tidying up the brocade couch, while Gu Jinghong followed beside her as instructed, handing her items, his gaze sweeping over every corner of the room—the desk, the display cabinet, even the huge border map on the wall, trying to find any clues that might be related to the secret room.
Just as Zhixin bent down to put her frequently used Duan inkstone back in its place, steady footsteps suddenly came from outside.
The footsteps were all too familiar. Zhixin's face changed instantly. She sat up abruptly and whispered in a panic, "Your Highness... why is Your Highness back at this hour?!"
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Chengyan's tall figure appeared at the door of the inner room.
He was dressed in court attire, exuding natural majesty, as if he had returned directly from the palace, with a hint of lingering sternness between his brows.
Zhi Xin hurriedly curtsied, her face flushed, and said, "This servant greets Your Highness."
Gu Jinghong's heart also skipped a beat. He immediately followed suit and bowed deeply, lowering his head and eyes, holding his breath, shrinking himself into a background that was inconspicuous.
Xiao Chengyan simply responded with a curt "Hmm" and walked straight to the desk in the inner room.
However, in the instant he moved, his icy gaze seemed to glance at Gu Jinghong with lightning speed and inconspicuousness, like the shadow of a hawk skimming the ground, swift and silent.
Although Gu Jinghong had her head down, she still keenly noticed that gaze.
But she couldn't react; instead, she stood there like a stone statue.
Xiao Chengyan paused briefly at his desk, picked up something from the corner of the table, held it in his palm, and turned to leave.
Seeing that he didn't seem to blame her, Zhixin mustered her courage and asked, her voice still trembling slightly, "Your Highness... would you like me to prepare tea?"
"No need."
Xiao Chengyan didn't stop walking; in a short while, his figure disappeared outside the door.
Only when the footsteps had completely faded away did Zhixin finally let out a long sigh of relief. As if she had exhausted all her strength, she raised her hand to pat her still rapid heart. Her face was still shaken, yet also flushed with a subtle blush caused by the close contact.
She murmured, "Why did His Highness suddenly return today...?"
Gu Jinghong then slowly straightened up.
Her mind raced—he had returned to retrieve his belongings, and was about to go back to the palace!
Could it be that something important is happening in the palace today?
She looked up at Zhixin, who was still shaken and blushing, and asked softly, "Sister Zhixin...you...you seemed very scared just now? Does the Prince...come back suddenly like this on ordinary days?"
Zhi Xin, still unsettled, sighed, "How could we possibly fathom the Prince's actions... It's just so unfortunate today; the kitchen said His Majesty has invited me to dine here. Alas, even the 'Jade Belt Soup' has been temporarily postponed in the manor, who knew..."
Gu Jinghong speculated: "...Who knew the Prince wouldn't be returning to the manor today?"
Zhixin nodded. "That's what the kitchen said."
A golden opportunity!
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