Upon hearing the phrase "treating everyone equally," Ruan Qing'an's gaze swept over the table full of food and the burning charcoal fire, and he raised an eyebrow: "In Miss A-Xiu's opinion, what kind of person is His Highness?"
Upon hearing this, Ah Xiu immediately straightened up.
These past few days, she has been the only woman allowed to stay by Ji Wuyu's side, and she was the one he personally brought back. When Ji Wuyu was injured, she was the one who took care of him tirelessly.
Therefore, Ah Xiu knew that he was special and that no one else would be allowed to approach him by Ji Wuyu.
They have been through so much, which is incomparable to a young lady from a noble family who is only engaged. Just by listening to Ruan Qing'an's words, Ah Xiu knows that she doesn't understand Ji Wuyu at all!
Ah Xiu glanced at Ruan Qing'an with an almost haughty air before saying, "Miss Ruan has always lived in the secluded chambers of the Marquis's mansion in the capital, so naturally she doesn't know what kind of person His Highness is. He is a very, very good person."
"His Highness possesses unwavering spirit, charging into battle with strategic brilliance and composure even in perilous situations. He lives and eats with his soldiers, never displaying arrogance due to his royal status, and is respectful and courteous to his subordinates. Most importantly—"
"His Highness has a heart that loves the people like his own children; he is a truly good person who wholeheartedly cares for the common people!"
After listening to Ah Xiu's impassioned speech, Ruan Qing'an fell silent. After a long while, she said to 037, "See, little system, I told you, I have no rivals in love."
037: [The male lead hasn't let down his guard at all with the female lead, let alone opened up to her. After all this time, with her saving his life and spending time together, she hasn't even earned the right to open up to him. How can she be so confident...?]
Ji Wuyu – Kind? A benevolent person who loves his people like his own children? A good person?
He had absolutely nothing to do with those three words. Ji Wuyu's efforts in the first and second halves of his life were all aimed at gradually moving away from those three words...
Ruan Qing'an felt no threat whatsoever. She simply propped her chin up and watched Ah Xiu speak with a relaxed air.
The atmosphere froze for a moment.
Ah Xiu felt a little embarrassed, but seeing that Ruan Qing'an didn't speak, she guessed that the young lady of the Marquis's mansion probably realized that she didn't know His Highness as well as she did, which was why she was so silent.
Judging from her own experience, Ah Xiu felt that she herself would not be able to remain so calm in the face of her opponent's provocation.
Actually... Ruan Qing'an didn't consider her an opponent at all.
However, Ah Xiu was unaware of this and her confidence grew. She couldn't help but say, "Miss Ruan, His Highness guards the border for the country and its people. He shouldn't be bound by a marriage contract."
Ruan Qing'an raised an eyebrow: "Does Miss A-Xiu think that I've wronged His Highness, or do you think you're more suitable?"
Ah Xiu blushed slightly and coughed.
"No, no, I was just thinking of Miss Ruan. Since I started following His Highness, I have been taking care of His Highness's daily life, helping to treat the wounded, and marching and fighting alongside him. I have spent a lot of time with His Highness."
“But His Highness has never mentioned you, Miss Ruan. I guess it might be because of the engagement. Miss Ruan, you have never written to me either. There is no emotional foundation between you and His Highness. How can a woman’s future husband be someone who does not love her?”
Ah Xiu felt she had spoken fairly, and she had always maintained a gentle and demure image. Besides, what did it matter if Ruan Qing'an and Ji Wuyu were engaged? It was all meaningless.
She firmly believes that in love, there is no first come, first served.
But Ruan Qing'an just propped her chin up and looked at her: "Are you done talking?"
Ah Xiu was stunned: "Say it, you're done..."
"You can leave now, I need to rest."
Ruan Qingan yawned, waved his hand, as if he had just finished watching a performance, leaned back on the soft couch, and half-closed his eyes.
This dismissive attitude made it seem as if Ah Xiu was utterly insignificant. She abruptly stood up, biting her lower lip hard, and glared angrily at Ruan Qing'an: "Miss Ruan, I sincerely care about you, why do you treat me like this? I believe I'm no worse than you—"
"Then what?"
Ruan Qing'an raised his eyes and chuckled: "Miss A-Xiu just wants His Highness to marry you, right? You are welcome to try. I will not stop you. You can do whatever you want, any means are acceptable."
"As for whether you are worse than me, it doesn't matter. You can get the same treatment as me and then prove yourself."
Ah Xiu was overjoyed: "Really?!"
Nguyen Thanh An nodded, his leaden-gray eyes almost disdainful.
037: [Ancestor, are you just looking for trouble?]
"No, Ji Wuyu probably isn't infatuated with the female lead. I feel he has other uses for keeping Axiu around, so perhaps giving Axiu more freedom of movement will reveal some clues."
037 fell silent for a moment. It had thought that Ruan Qing'an was going to have a love rivalry with Ah Xiu, but it turned out that it shouldn't have had any hope for its ancestor who was so cunning.
Just as the two were talking, the tent flap was suddenly lifted, and Ji Wuyu, dressed in full armor, walked in. He glanced at the ground, frowned, and asked, "What's going on with this charcoal fire?"
"Your Highness!"
Ah Xiu immediately beamed with joy, and gently explained, "Your Highness, please don't be angry. Miss Ruan simply didn't know that the army was short of supplies, that's why—"
"Ah Xiu?"
Ji Wuyu then noticed her, blinked his dark eyes, and said, "Oh, it's nothing. You've worked hard. You should go back and rest. Treating the wounded soldiers must be tiring for you too."
"It's alright, Your Highness."
Ah Xiu blushed, clutching her lunchbox as she walked away gracefully.
Only after Ah Xiu left did Ji Wuyu calm down and pull the charcoal brazier away: "What's wrong with this charcoal fire?"
"You won't let me use it?"
"I had it delivered; otherwise, who would I give it to?"
Ji Wuyu paused: "The charcoal will be too dry if it's too close. Stay away so you'll be more comfortable. If you're still cold, have someone bring more. Don't try to save me any."
Ruan Qingan couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Hearing the laughter, Ji Wuyu turned his head to look, thought for a moment, and said, "I will send someone to take you back tomorrow. It is dangerous on the battlefield. Don't stay here. I'm worried about you."
"I'm here on important business, and I won't be leaving for a while."
Ruan Qing'an shook her head, then suddenly leaned forward to face Ji Wuyu, her rosy lips curving into a smile: "By the way, I should also take care of this matter. Father almost came to stab you with a knife on horseback because of your affair with another woman behind my back."
"...The Marquis is really something."
Ji Wuyu felt a headache coming on: "What woman? Are you talking about Ah Xiu? I was wondering how you two ended up together. What strange things did that woman say again?"
"It's nothing. I just let her try to seduce you, um... because she feels that the marriage contract is unfair to you."
No sooner had Ruan Qing'an finished speaking than Ji Wuyu's hands were already on the soft couch. He narrowed his long, narrow eyes, like a sinister venomous snake, ready to devour anyone at any moment.
Beneath her gleaming, cold armor, she appeared even more petite.
Ji Wuyu pressed her down and lowered his head.
"Let her seduce me?"
"I'm a little... unhappy, Qing'an."
\u0001
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