Miss Jiang, how have you been?
In the days that followed, Jiang Wanzhi did indeed restrain herself considerably, staying indoors and contemplating tactical strategies.
Drawings were scattered all over the room, and she lay on her desk, rummaging through her memories, drawing tree diagrams over and over again.
After messing around in this world for so long, she finally realized that there was nothing to be afraid of—she had a cheat code! The key was to unravel the fates of all the fictional characters in the book and change the plot!
She refused to believe in this evil and was determined to defy fate and carve out a way for herself to survive!
…………
On the Lantern Festival, palace lanterns shone brightly, and the sounds of traditional music filled the air.
Inside the Linde Hall, a grand royal banquet was being held, a scene of singing and dancing in peace and prosperity.
Nobles and dignitaries, high-ranking officials and their families, attended the banquet, their elegant attire and graceful bearing creating a vibrant atmosphere of clinking glasses and toasts. The air was thick with the scents of wine and cosmetics, and an invisible, tense sense of respect.
Jiang Wanzhi sat behind her father, Prime Minister Jiang, her head bowed and eyes lowered, trying to shrink herself into the background. She knew that the utterly wicked Ninth Prince, Zongzheng Hengyu, was also there!
Her breathing was uneven from nervousness, and she only dared to cautiously scan the entire room with the corner of her eye.
High on the throne sat His Majesty the Emperor, flanked by the dignified Empress and several favored concubines. Below, the princes' seats were particularly eye-catching.
The eldest prince, Zongzheng Zhaoran, sat in the seat closest to the throne. Dressed in a moon-white prince's robe, he was handsome and elegant, smiling gently. He was having a low conversation with a senior member of the royal family sitting next to him, and his every move exuded friendliness and poise.
Jiang Wanzhi's gaze lingered on him for a moment; the male lead's aura was so dazzling!
But his casual aloofness that day made her hesitant to make any further moves. After all, this was ancient times, and her modern flirting techniques would only scare him away.
Her gaze unconsciously shifted away, sweeping over the Second Prince, Ming Wang, that Zongzheng Mingchen. In the book, he was a treacherous and cunning villain, incompetent, committing numerous evils and ultimately being killed. Hmm... indeed, it was very... satisfying!
Jiang Wanzhi's gaze continued to sweep across the room, then suddenly fixed on the seat belonging to the Ninth Prince Zongzheng Hengyu, not far to the side!
My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an icy hand, and suddenly stopped beating!
At his seat, Zongzheng Hengyu did not wear the elaborate prince's ceremonial robes, but rather a dark brocade robe with dark gold cloud patterns, the collar slightly open, revealing the edge of his meticulously crafted snow-white undergarment.
His black hair was half-tied up with a simple silver hairpin, with a few strands falling casually to his temples, making his face even more defined, handsome to the point of being sharp, yet also cold and unapproachable.
That outfit! That face!
Memories flooded in like a burst dam, instantly overwhelming all of Jiang Wanzhi's reason!
On New Year's Eve at midnight, the streets were covered in snow!
That jet-black steed charged like an arrow released from a bow!
The man on horseback stood tall and straight like a pine tree, dressed in a black outfit, his dark hair half-tied up with a plain silver hairpin!
That face, with its sharp features and taut jawline in the shadows of the snowy night, was stunningly beautiful yet chillingly cold to the bone!
The man who bumped into her, tore up her silver notes, was clung to by her clothes demanding compensation, and was eventually given ten taels of silver to appease her—the man who called himself a guard!
It's him!
That's him!
That night, the "road killer" who rode a horse and rammed into her, leaving her in a sorry state and making her both furious and terrified, was not a bodyguard at all!
He is none other than the heinous Ninth Prince, Prince Heng, Zongzheng Hengyu himself!
A tremendous shock and a sense of being fooled and mocked instantly overwhelmed Jiang Wanzhi!
She was so shocked that she quickly lowered her head, wishing she could disappear into the ground! If it weren't for her father ordering her to prioritize the greater good, she would never have come to this palace banquet!
She acted like a complete fool, yelling at him, cursing and pulling at the guards, and even... she even went to the Prince Heng's mansion with him!
Good heavens! What has she done?!
She not only cursed the future jinxed emperor, but also grabbed his collar, treated him like a guard, and ordered him around. In the end, she fled in panic for ten taels of silver.
A strong feeling of nausea welled up in her throat. She abruptly covered her mouth, her stomach churning, and she almost vomited on the spot.
No way! I can't afford to lose my composure here, even if it means I'm dead!
"Father..." Jiang Wanzhi covered her mouth, tugged at the sleeve of Prime Minister Jiang beside her, and said in a soft voice, "Daughter...daughter feels a little tightness in her chest and shortness of breath...I want to go out for some fresh air..."
Prime Minister Jiang was focused on dealing with the situation when he heard this. He frowned, turned around and saw her face, which was as pale as paper and covered in cold sweat. He was shocked.
"Has this girl fallen ill again? Disrespecting others at a palace banquet is a serious offense!" He quickly whispered, "Go and come back quickly! Don't go far!"
“Yes…” Jiang Wanzhi felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She almost scrambled to her feet to get up from her seat, head down, enduring the dizziness and nausea, and staggered out of the noisy hall through the side door.
The cold air from outside rushed into my lungs, slightly dispelling the stuffiness, but my heart was still pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.
She leaned against the cold, white marble railing, panting heavily, wanting nothing more than to find a secluded corner to hide herself and process this earth-shattering discovery that was enough to make her faint again!
She wandered aimlessly along the dimly lit corridor, wanting only to get as far away from that terrifying hall as possible.
Unknowingly, they had wandered into the depths of the Imperial Garden. Far from the hustle and bustle of the banquet, only a few lonely stone lanterns cast a dim yellow glow, illuminating the snow-covered rockery and withered flowers and trees, making it appear exceptionally quiet and desolate.
Jiang Wanzhi leaned against a cold, artificial Taihu stone hill, trying to calm her frantic heartbeat and breathing.
However, Zongzheng Hengyu's cold and handsome face, his figure in black that night, and the suffocating sense of oppression kept intertwining in her mind.
"Miss Jiang, how have you been?"
A deep, slightly playful voice, like a ghost, rang out behind Jiang Wanzhi without warning!
"Ah!" Jiang Wanzhi was so frightened that she screamed and turned around abruptly, her back hitting the artificial hill hard, causing her to gasp in pain.
Zongzheng Hengyu had silently appeared behind her, just a few steps away.
His dark brocade robe blended almost seamlessly with the night, and the moonlight outlined his tall figure and aloof profile.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his deep eyes like two cold stars in the dim light, fixed on her, a faint yet chilling smile playing on his lips.
This big devil, has he been following me all along?!
Jiang Wanzhi's body stiffened. She wanted to escape, but her legs felt as heavy as lead, and she couldn't move. She could only watch helplessly as he slowly approached, each step feeling like it was stepping on her taut nerves.
"Your Highness... Your Highness..." Her voice was filled with extreme panic, "This humble woman... This humble woman just came out for some fresh air..."
Zongzheng Hengyu stopped in front of her, so close that Jiang Wanzhi could smell the faint, cool scent of sandalwood emanating from him, mixed with the aura of ice and snow.
He leaned forward slightly, his tall figure completely enveloping her, creating a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Get some fresh air?" He chuckled. "I thought Miss Jiang had come out specifically to find that arrogant guard who offended you that night."
He deliberately emphasized those words, each one like a whip lashing at Jiang Wanzhi's heart.
Oh no! This villain is taking this opportunity to settle scores with her!
"No, no!" Jiang Wanzhi hurriedly shook her head and explained, "This humble woman didn't know... This humble woman really didn't know it was Your Highness... This humble woman deserves to die... This humble woman deserves to die a thousand deaths!"
Panicked and incoherent, she decided to go all the way and kneel down to beg for mercy!
Isn't that how it's always portrayed in TV dramas? No matter what mistake you make, the first thing you do is kneel down and shout "I'm sorry!"
A warm, bony hand suddenly reached out before her knees could bend, precisely gripping her arm and preventing her from kneeling.
The force was neither too light nor too heavy, yet it carried an irresistible strength.
Jiang Wanzhi trembled and looked up at him in astonishment.
Zongzheng Hengyu looked at her, his gaze falling on her eyes, which were slightly darting away due to fear and cold, and he felt that they were unfathomable.
"You seem very afraid of me." His voice was low, his breath brushing against her earlobe with a dangerous magnetism.
Jiang Wanzhi cried out inwardly, "The ultimate villain boss! Don't you have any self-awareness about who you are?! How could a nobody like me be afraid?!"
He slowly raised his other hand, his warm fingertips gently brushing a stray hair from her cheek. "Miss Jiang, you are engaged to me."
He tilted his head slightly, moving closer, his cold, deep eyes gazing into her terrified and bewildered eyes with a predatory scrutiny that seemed to see through everything.
"There's no need to be so distant from me."
His breath was close at hand, both cold and hot. His ambiguous words, the touch of his warm fingers on her cheek, formed an extremely strange contrast with the undisguised coldness and desire for control in his eyes.
Jiang Wanzhi felt her scalp tingle and her heart was about to explode. This was not flirting; it was clearly being toyed with by him, the villainous predator!
Her heart pounded like a leaf in the wind, yet he held her firmly between the cold artificial hill and his burning chest, with nowhere to escape.
"Your Highness... I've been out for some fresh air for a while now. If I don't go back soon... I'm afraid my father will worry." She quickly invoked her father's help, wanting only to escape from this great demon.
He slowly took a step back, and just when Jiang Wanzhi thought he was finally going to let her go, he reached out his hands, took off his cloak in a fluttering arc, went around behind Jiang Wanzhi, and landed on her shoulder, tying a knot in front of her neck.
His actions seemed considerate, but they were more like he was confirming his ownership.
“The night wind is chilly, and Miss Jiang is frail; she should not be exposed to the wind.” He straightened up, resuming his aloof and cold demeanor, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable declaration, “Miss Jiang should return to her seat soon.”
After saying that, he turned around, his dark figure disappearing silently behind the artificial hill as if blending into the night. Only Jiang Wanzhi remained, standing frozen in the cold moonlight.
What kind of drama is this?! Why is Zong Zhenghengyu completely deviating from the script?!
Could it be that I traveled through time and... changed the character settings in this book?
I remember he wasn't like this in the book... She looked down at the black, gilded cloud-patterned cloak she was wearing. That bastard!
This isn't concern; it's like putting a 24K pure gold dog chain on her and welding it shut!
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