Bewitched
Inside the study of the Prince Jin's mansion, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, yet it could not dispel the invisible heaviness in the atmosphere.
Gu Jinghong stood in front of the desk without sitting down.
Xiao Chengyan casually leaned back in the large rosewood chair, his gaze fixed on Gu Jinghong with scrutiny and a strange patience.
"When did Your Highness find out?" Gu Jinghong asked directly, trying her best to keep her voice steady, but there was still a slight, almost imperceptible tremor at the end. "You found out... that Jinghong took the Nine-Turn Resurrection Grass?"
Xiao Chengyan did not answer immediately. He picked up a small and exquisite thumb ring key from the table—the very one that Gu Jinghong had "stolen" by the bathtub that day.
He placed it in his palm, facing the last ray of sunlight filtering in from the window, and slowly spoke in a low voice.
"Shortly after you and Xie Yan left the Prince's Mansion... I felt something was off. I... know you can open the South Wind Lock, and I dare to guess that you might be able to forge the key."
He didn't say "this king" but "I," and this simple substitution made Gu Jinghong less nervous.
"Later, when I tried to open it again, I found that I couldn't open it, and I knew that you had switched it... After a few days, I was able to open it."
Gu Jinghong's heart sank—he was so perceptive!
“Sure enough,” Xiao Chengyan said, his tone unreadable, “after opening it, we found that the Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Grass was gone.”
The air seemed to freeze.
Gu Jinghong could clearly hear the heavy, rapid beating of her heart in her chest.
"Why?" she blurted out, filled with immense confusion. "Since Your Highness knew that Jinghong stole it, why...why didn't you expose him? Why...why did you..."
Why treat her like that? The company on New Year's Eve, the protection today, even going so far as to confront someone like Xie Yan, someone who should only be trampled underfoot like mud for her sake?
Xiao Chengyan's gaze became somewhat distant. He remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Although the Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Grass is precious, in the end, it is just a medicine. The essence of medicine is to save lives."
His gaze refocused on Gu Jinghong's face, without anger, only a calm desire to explain things clearly.
“I found you in the snow. You were pale, cold, and on the verge of death… I think you took such a great risk to take it to save someone who was extremely important to you and whom you had to save.”
The reason was so simple that Gu Jinghong was speechless for a moment.
Was it not a setup? Was it not to find more leverage over her? Was it simply because... he believed she used it to save someone?
"As for why I didn't ask..." Xiao Chengyan turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on the deepening twilight outside the window, his voice lowered, carrying a faint sigh, "Perhaps... I was momentarily bewitched."
As dusk completely swallowed the last rays of light, the study instantly darkened, with only a glass lamp on the desk illuminating his sharply defined profile, making his self-deprecating loneliness all the more profound.
"Bewitched"... These four words seemed to carry a scalding heat, unexpectedly burning Gu Jinghong.
What does that mean? He saw her as a substitute for Aning, and that's why he's so infatuated?
What he did to her was essentially what he wanted to do to Aning.
But he had already made it clear when he sent Chief Physician Tan to examine his pulse—he had never said that he was A Ning.
Looking at his desolate profile, the indescribable weariness and faint self-mockery emanating from his upright figure, she suddenly realized how pathetic she was.
Xiao Chengyan was a prince, like a high and mighty god, coldly watching her clumsy performance as a little thief, watching her anxious and fearful, watching her pretend to be calm in front of him, watching her self-righteous maneuvering.
He, however, tacitly approved of all this with a condescending and tolerant attitude, and even stepped in to protect her when she was about to be exposed.
And his protection of her was essentially a way to ensure that Gu Jinghong remained the "white moonlight" figure? Gu Jinghong was no longer sure whether Xiao Chengyan was unaware of or unwilling to know that she was an imposter.
Gu Jinghong chuckled self-deprecatingly—it was just a transaction, a mutual deception for solace. What was she really thinking? Upon closer reflection, she hadn't offered nothing, had she? She had allowed him to still have an illusion about Princess Yongning. Perhaps that was her purpose, Gu Jinghong.
"Heh..." She suddenly chuckled softly, a laugh devoid of warmth, filled only with cold irony and self-mockery.
Thinking of this, Gu Jinghong raised his eyes, all the complex emotions in his eyes instantly faded away, leaving only a deliberately disguised sharpness and aloofness that belonged to Gu Gefu of Zhuoyue Tower: "Your Highness truly has a broad mind and a magnanimous spirit."
Gu Jinghong stepped forward, slightly raising her chin, her smile both beautiful and sharp: "Since Your Highness is well aware of the situation, why go through all this trouble? I have nothing of value and am all alone. I'm afraid I can't repay Your Highness's 'kindness' with gold and silver."
"If Your Highness has something in mind, you might as well speak frankly. Do you want Jinghong's life? Or do you want Jinghong to do some 'dirty work' for Your Highness that Your Highness cannot do personally?"
She deliberately emphasized the word "dirty work," and her red lips parted slightly, "For example... when it's inconvenient for His Highness to take action, how about silencing certain eyesores forever? Or how about having me go to another residence to 'get' some things His Highness needs?"
Gu Jinghong did it on purpose.
I used the most unbearable speculations and the most malicious words to hurt him, and also tried to sever the extremely dangerous stirring in my heart that had quietly grown because of his "tolerance" and "understanding".
Xiao Chengyan stared at Gu Jinghong's face, which was adorned with a provocative smile, and looked at the deliberate coldness and aloofness in her eyes. It was as if he was seeing for the first time the sharp defenses hidden beneath her armor.
The air seemed to freeze.
However, just as Gu Jinghong was bracing herself for Xiao Chengyan's rage, and even the possibility of him immediately turning on her and taking her down, the gloom on Xiao Chengyan's face suddenly dissipated, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards into an extremely slight arc.
Gu Jinghong's eyes widened in surprise—he, he actually smiled?
The smile was faint, even tinged with a hint of helplessness, a hint of... indescribable bitterness? It was as if I were looking at a sulking child.
Gu Jinghong was somewhat bewildered by his unusual reaction, but her face remained as cold as before. "What is Your Highness laughing at? Did Jinghong guess correctly, or... did she guess too superficially?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengyan suppressed his urge to go and hug her, and his smile deepened.
I laugh because your malicious speculations seem childish and pitiful to me, because my schemes against you are far "deeper" and "more complicated" than you imagine.
Gu Jinghong shook his head repeatedly, feeling utterly absurd—King Jin could go to such lengths for a white moonlight that hadn't even been confirmed yet. Sigh, I don't know how someone like that could lead an army into battle.
He's not even as good as her, the head of intelligence in the underworld, is he?
It's all Xie Yan's fault!
Gu Jinghong turned and left the study.
The study door closed, shutting out Gu Jinghong's figure and taking away the last trace of human presence from the room.
The air still seemed to carry the venom of her words and the faint, cool fragrance emanating from her.
The helpless, bitter smile on Xiao Chengyan's face slowly faded, leaving only a deep, still expression. He adjusted his fox fur cloak, then stood up and slowly walked to his desk.
"Long Wind".
Changfeng appeared at the door as if by a shadow, bowing his head: "Your Highness."
"She's gone?" Xiao Chengyan asked knowingly, his tone indifferent.
"Yes, Miss Gu... walked very fast." After hesitating for a moment, Changfeng still concealed the fact that she looked "not very well".
If Gu Jinghong had spoken those hurtful words to someone else, the prince would probably have already decided to kill them.
Firstly, the prince is preoccupied with numerous affairs and military matters, and he is unwilling to waste his energy getting entangled with others. At this time, killing is the most efficient choice. Secondly, the prince meant well, but Gu Jinghong deliberately distorted it, showing a strong tendency to provoke the prince. Given the prince's strong personality, he would not allow her to do so.
but……
Looking at Xiao Chengyan, who was originally imposing, but now looked like a weak scholar with a fox fur cloak, Changfeng suddenly had a thought in his mind—even the wildest horse will eventually have a rider who can tame it.
"Changfeng, protect her."
The cool voice pulled Changfeng back to reality. He didn't even understand what Xiao Chengyan meant: "Protect? A little?"
Xiao Chengyan nodded slightly.
"She won't go back to her room. She's too upset to calm down right now, and her anger is overwhelming... She definitely won't let this go."
Changfeng was taken aback, and subconsciously said, "Your Highness means that Miss Gu will go to settle accounts with Xie Yan? But Xie Yan is currently..." He stopped abruptly, his face showing an expression of disbelief, "...the dungeon of the Capital Prefecture?! This...Miss Gu...would she go to a place like that?"
In Changfeng's view, although Gu Jinghong's identity was a mystery, she was, after all, a woman who had just experienced such humiliation. How could she possibly venture into the dungeon alone? It was too risky and too illogical.
Xiao Chengyan looked up at Changfeng, the sound of Gu Jinghong's voice suddenly rising because of his "question" that day flashing through his mind, but there was no surprise in his deep eyes.
Although his acquaintance with Gu Jinghong had waned, he still understood her to a certain extent. He understood the pride, ruthlessness, and vindictiveness hidden beneath her docile maidservant exterior. He knew she wouldn't wait, nor could she wait.
“But Your Highness,” Changfeng still had doubts, “the dungeon of the Capital Prefecture is heavily guarded. If Miss Gu goes there alone, wouldn’t she be walking into a trap? If she is discovered by the guards, or if Xie Yan is cornered and resorts to desperate measures…”
"Therefore, I need you to go and 'protect' him."
Changfeng's spirits lifted: "Understood! I'll have someone follow them right away." He was full of confidence. Since his men lost track of Gu Jinghong and Xie Yan last time, he had spent a lot of effort improving the overall quality of the Shadow Ravens. This time, tracking them again would be a good opportunity to test his results.
"No."
Xiao Chengyan glanced at Changfeng and gave a curt denial.
Changfeng was stunned: "Not...not follow? Then how can you protect me?"
Xiao Chengyan stared directly at Changfeng: "How did you lose track of the people you sent to follow her last time? Have you forgotten?"
Changfeng's face flushed, and he quickly said, "It was my poor planning and underestimation of the enemy! But this time, I will personally lead the team and use a higher-level 'Shadow Escape' technique, and I will definitely not let her..."
“I said, there’s no need to follow.” Xiao Chengyan raised his eyes to look in the direction Gu Jinghong had left. “She’s extremely wary right now, like a frightened bird. No matter how sophisticated the Prince’s tracking techniques are, it’s hard to guarantee she won’t notice. If she discovers that I’ve sent people to follow her again…”
He paused, his voice lowering, carrying a hint of concern that even he himself hadn't fully grasped, "...will only make her more..."
He ultimately suppressed the word "resistance." He didn't want to deepen her misunderstanding and hostility, especially after she had just used such cold words to draw a line.
Changfeng was completely dumbfounded. If he didn't follow, how could he protect her? Should he just pray that Miss Gu was safe and sound in the dungeon?
Xiao Chengyan snapped out of his daze and saw Changfeng's embarrassed state. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice. "Go to the Jingzhao Prefecture dungeon. Not to follow her, nor to interrogate Xie Yan."
"What are you going to do?" Changfeng pressed.
"Go find Prefect Li. Convey my imperial decree: Xie Yan stole filth in the street, insulted a respectable family, and further, his words and actions were indecent, and he slandered the Prince. His crime is doubled. He shall be immediately imprisoned in the deepest part of the underground water dungeon, in an iron-walled cell."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
