"I feel that Mr. Huo is very familiar to me."
Outside the training ground, Jiang Yu and Jiang He watched Huo Xiang and Gu Qingyan exchange moves. Gu Qingyan was clearly struggling and stumbled, almost falling to the ground.
"Help me." A pair of hands were extended in front of Gu Qingyan, and Gu Qingyan took Gu Lin's hands without the slightest hesitation.
“Your Highness, the Third Prince trusts Mr. Huo very much.” Jiang He glanced at Jiang Yu. “I checked Mr. Huo’s background again and found nothing unusual.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu pursed her lips, wondering why Huo Xiang had that jade pendant on him.
Huo Xiang... Huo Xiang... King Xiang...
Jiang Yu trembled violently, her gaze towards Gu Lin filled with disbelief.
That year...
"Ayu, my birthday is coming soon." Gu Lin's eyes shone as brightly as the most dazzling stars, eagerly awaiting Jiang Yu's next words.
"On the Prince's birthday, my brother and I went to the Prince's mansion to celebrate with him." Jiang Yu held a long sword in his hand. "But now, you'll have to spar with me a few times first."
However, on Gu Lin's birthday, the Prince of Xiang's mansion was attacked.
When she and her brother arrived, the guards of the Prince of Xiang's mansion were fighting a bloody battle with the assassins. She and her brother drew their swords and rushed forward. It took them a full half hour to drive the assassins away.
The elder brother rushed to investigate, but Gu Lin was already covered in blood.
"Tsk, if you hadn't come, I might have really died here."
"The guards of this dignified royal palace are so weak, Your Highness, don't you think you're taking your life for granted?" Jiang Yu's face turned cold, but Gu Lin chuckled and pushed her away, "Where's my birthday gift?"
"No."
Jiang Yu took out a handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains off the sword, and the newly acquired jade pendant at her waist accidentally fell to the ground.
Gu Lin picked up the jade pendant. "This jade pendant is a bit broken, so it's not suitable to carry it with me anymore. I'll take this as my birthday gift."
"Ayu, if I weren't a prince, then wouldn't we be..."
Before Gu Lin could finish speaking, Jiang Yu turned and left.
But now, this jade pendant has reappeared before her eyes.
This Mr. Huo clearly doesn't resemble Prince Tongxiang at all.
......
At the dining table, Gu Lin sat pretending to be somewhat uneasy.
"Your Majesty, Third Prince, Lord Marquis, I am but a commoner, and it is inappropriate for me to sit here and dine."
But Jiang Yu smiled, contrary to her usual self, and said, "It's alright. Mr. Huo saved Ayan's life, so please enjoy your meal."
As she spoke, Jiang Yu gestured for Gu Lin to start eating.
When Gu Lin casually picked up a piece of peanut with his chopsticks, Jiang Yu herself did not notice that the light in her eyes instantly disappeared. The Prince of Xiang was allergic to peanuts, but Huo Xiang in front of her was not.
Gu Lin lowered his head to hide the emotion in his eyes, but out of the corner of his eye he saw the jade pendant he had specially brought to his waist. Ayu recognized the jade pendant.
He was a ruthless killer, but only in front of Ayu was he a coward.
He was afraid to tell Ayu what happened back then, that he had almost forced himself on her, and that he would never be able to get Ayu's forgiveness in this lifetime.
He could only transform into Huo Xiang to help A Yu get everything she wanted.
Gu Lin picked up another peanut with his chopsticks. After being poisoned, he no longer had any dietary restrictions.
After spending a few days together, Jiang Yu lowered her guard against Gu Lin, but her doubts about Gu Lin's identity grew stronger.
"Your Majesty, please be careful."
There was a very slippery spot by the lake at the Marquis's residence. As soon as Jiang Yu lifted her foot, Gu Lin's voice rang out. Jiang Yu looked down at the rock; she had fallen here several times when she was a child.
Her father said she was forgetful and refused to let anyone move the stone, so her brother and the King of Xiang often reminded her to be careful.
"Mr. Huo has a good eye."
Gu Lin choked, "Your Majesty's health is naturally of utmost importance, so we must be extremely careful."
“Ayan is young and trusts you greatly, so I would like to ask you to stay in the Marquis’s residence for a long time so that you can teach Ayan martial arts.”
"If Your Majesty speaks, I will naturally obey without hesitation, even at the cost of my life."
Jiang Yu laughed, "I have no need for you to go through fire and water, sir."
......
Because of Gu Lin's arrival, the flowers in the Dingyuan Marquis's mansion bloomed even more beautifully.
Upon waking up early in the morning, Jiang Yu looked at the flowers and plants in the courtyard in surprise. "Granny, how come these flowers are blooming so beautifully?"
"Mr. Huo loved tending to flowers and plants, so the Marquis entrusted all the flowers and plants in the Marquis's mansion to Mr. Huo. These were the ones Mr. Huo said were the best, and he specially had them moved to the Empress's courtyard."
[Could a brute who makes a living through martial arts also possess such skill in tending flowers and plants?]
Despite her doubts, Jiang Yu still walked briskly towards the flowers and plants, her eyebrows raised; she loved these things the most.
Jiang Yu liked it so much that she couldn't help but keep watering the flowers and plants. After watering them, the flowers and plants began to wither.
"Granny Ling, please invite Mr. Huo here for me."
Jiang Yu was somewhat annoyed, and her ears turned red when she saw Gu Lin rushing over.
"Are the flowers in the Empress's palace tended to like this?" Gu Lin couldn't help but cover his eyes. There was indeed a reason why the old Marquis wouldn't let A-Yu touch the flowers and plants.
“Mr. Huo, the Empress only prunes the flowers in the palace.”
Ling Mama smoothed things over for Jiang Yu, and Gu Lin smiled as he explained the methods of growing flowers to Jiang Yu, then squatted down to change the soil for the flowers and plants.
"Your Majesty, it's the height of summer in July. Be careful not to get sunburned while watering the flowers."
Her skin has been delicate since childhood, and it would turn red and painful if she was exposed to too much sun.
"And this swing, I'll take a look at it later to see if it's loose for Your Highness."
Gu Lin would always check the swing to make sure it was sturdy before letting her sit on it.
With a thud, as Gu Lin squatted down and shook the ground, a small wooden pony fell to the ground. Jiang Yu froze on the spot, countless memories flooding back.
It turns out that she could remember the matter of King Xiang so clearly.
After Ling Mama and the others were dismissed by Jiang Yu, a few moments later, Gu Lin got up and dusted himself off.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready."
Several slender, pale fingers slowly covered the jade pendant at Gu Lin's waist. Gu Lin suddenly froze, and all the blood in his body rushed to his head.
"Where did Mr. Huo obtain this jade pendant?"
Gu Lin swallowed hard. "It was I...I found it."
"Found it?"
Jiang Yu reached out and pulled off the jade pendant. The broken edges of the jade pendant had been smoothed out, indicating that the wearer often touched and played with it.
“I have an old friend who also has a jade pendant exactly like this one.”
Jiang Yu continued to hold Gu Lin's face, tracing its contours. Gu Lin didn't dare to move at all throughout the entire process.
[The edges and corners are smooth; this person isn't wearing a mask.]
Just as Gu Lin was about to lose his temper, Jiang Yu tied the jade pendant around Gu Lin's waist again.
"I was being rude just now."
Jiang Yu lowered his hand helplessly. He was Huo Xiang, not Gu Lin.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com