Chapter 191 Menstruation
"You!" Xie Qi almost ground his teeth to powder, but couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
He indeed had no right or standing to question Xiao Chengjin.
"Xie Qi, for the sake of a woman, you dared to join forces with Lu Yuan to besiege the Prince Su's residence. I'd like to see how you explain this to the Emperor tomorrow!"
Just then, a cold, suppressed voice came from behind, "Your Highness Prince Su, there's no need to wait until tomorrow."
The three of them turned around and saw Shen Ci'an rushing over in the night.
The hem of his blue cloth robe fluttered as he hurried along, yet his steps remained steady as a pine tree, and his gaze was cold and deep.
Behind him was a large contingent of Imperial Guards marching in perfect unison, their clanging voices ringing out incessantly.
"What, Lord Shen actually has the ability to mobilize the Imperial Guards to surround my residence?" Xiao Chengjin said sarcastically.
Shen Ci'an remained unmoved, only looking at him coldly and saying, "By order of His Majesty, Prince Su is to enter the palace immediately for an audience with the Emperor. There must be no delay. There are assassins lurking in Prince Su's residence. The Imperial Guards are ordered to guard the residence day and night without the slightest negligence until the assassins are captured and brought to justice."
“Your Highness, please.” His face was so calm that it seemed as if he were detached from the situation, only his tightly clenched hands hidden in his sleeves betrayed his unease.
The young lady has been kidnapped for so long without any news, and we don't know if she has been harmed.
Xiao Chengjin froze on the spot. "Impossible! How could Father Emperor believe your one-sided story? I have never had any connection with the assassins, and I know absolutely nothing about Princess Qinghe!"
"If you have anything to say, go and argue with His Majesty." Shen Ci'an waved his hand, and two imperial guards came over and gestured for Xiao Chengjin to leave.
"Your Highness Prince Su, please enter the palace as soon as possible, and do not keep His Majesty waiting."
Xiao Chengjin never expected that Shen Ci'an would enter the palace in the middle of the night to obtain an imperial edict from his father, and bring such a large number of imperial guards with him!
A sense of panic inexplicably arose in his heart.
Could it be that Shen Ci'an actually possesses some evidence?
In the end, he could only reluctantly leave with the Imperial Guards.
Tonight, despite a combined search by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Guards, who turned over almost every brick and stone in the Prince Su's mansion, Jiang Zhi was still nowhere to be found.
The three men watched silently as people came and went, the solemn and oppressive atmosphere preventing anyone from making a sound.
Where exactly was Jiang Zhi taken?
＊
Qingfang Hall in the backyard of the East Palace.
As soon as Jiang Zhi got up, the maids waiting outside the door helped her wash up. After breakfast was served, Xiao Xuanyou returned home from court and went straight to her Qingfang Palace.
He opened the door in his court robes, bringing in a chill with him. Afraid that Jiang Zhi would get cold, he took off his outer cloak.
He washed his hands and sat down beside her, and the maids tactfully withdrew.
Jiang Zhi ignored him and silently ate small bites of the bowl of milk-flavored sweet rice porridge in front of her.
Of all things under the sun, eating is the most important thing. She also needs to find a way to escape from here, so naturally she can't let herself suffer.
Xiao Xuanyou placed a plate of jade-colored steamed dumplings in front of her. "I saw how thin your waist was last night. No wonder you haven't been feeling well. You should eat more."
Jiang Zhi put down her chopsticks and shook her head. "I'm already full."
Xiao Xuanyou reluctantly got up and hugged her, letting her sit on his lap. He held the chopsticks with his jade-like fingers, picked up a steamed dumpling, and brought it to her lips. "Zhi'er, be good, eat more."
Jiang Zhi frowned, but knowing Xiao Xuanyou's relentless nature, she could only bite her lip and say, "That's enough. I ate a lot of desserts at the banquet last night, and I'm not hungry at all this morning."
Seeing that she looked listless, Xiao Xuanyou didn't force her and put down his chopsticks.
His fingertips gently caressed and lingered on her lips. "Now that Zhi'er is full, it's my turn."
He grasped her chin, his warm lips pressing against hers without her being able to resist, carrying the crisp, lingering scent of morning air, their fragrance mingling and permeating her lips and teeth.
Just as Jiang Zhi was about to speak, he slipped in, making her breathless and her eyes redden.
“Wait, Your Highness…” She finally took a breath and nudged him. “I have something to discuss with you.”
"Hmm, you say it." He casually pecked at her lips, his voice hoarse.
Jiang Zhi took a breath and said, "I don't want to stay in the house all the time. Can we go out for a walk?"
You need to know what kind of environment you're in in order to find a way to leave.
"Why not?" Xiao Xuanyou's lips were already on her earlobe, his warm breath spraying over her, bringing a tingling and itchy sensation.
"You can freely enter and leave the backyard of the Eastern Palace without needing anyone's permission."
Jiang Zhi was overjoyed. "Okay."
"But going any further won't work. Those people are definitely still looking for you. There are guards all around the backyard, so staying inside is the safest option."
Jiang Zhi almost burst out laughing.
However, now that he is imprisoned, there is naturally no point in refuting such trivial matters.
"I understand," she whispered.
Xiao Xuanyou laughed, gently rubbing her slender nape with one hand, as if he understood her personality very well. "Zhi'er, I don't want to restrain you, but if you only think about escaping, I will have to use some extreme measures."
Jiang Zhi in the dream was just like that.
On the surface, they pretend to be obedient and compliant, but in reality, they are thinking about leaving all the time.
Every time he lowered his guard and thought she had finally resigned herself to her fate, she would always have a surprise waiting for him.
Jiang Zhi raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore his kiss on her neck. "If the Crown Prince is really worried, he can just tie me up. That way, he won't have to worry about me escaping."
Xiao Xuanyou paused, then couldn't help but grind his lips against her neck with hatred, "I really can't do anything with you, how could I bear to treat you like this?"
Jiang Zhi felt pain, numbness, and itching, and struggled to break free from his grip.
Xiao Xuanyou suddenly tightened his grip on her waist. "Don't move. I just want to have some snacks. As for the main meal—we'll talk about it tonight."
Jiang Zhi noticed Xiao Xuanyou's taut thigh muscles and the uncontrollable change in them, and her body immediately froze, no longer daring to move.
Xiao Xuanyou couldn't help but chuckle.
He still had a lot of official business to attend to, so after leaving Qingfang Hall, he went straight to his study.
After Jiang Zhi had finished her dinner when it got dark, Xiao Xuanyou returned again.
This time, his eyes held a darker, more enigmatic light.
However, Jiang Zhi was not as wary of him as usual. Instead, she went to bed early, her whole body nestled in the quilt, only revealing her small nose and a pair of dark, clear eyes.
“What bad luck, Your Highness,” Jiang Zhi’s smile was not genuine. “I’m on my period, so please move to another room.”
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