Strictly speaking, Ke Youjiang was neither the Crown Prince's subordinate nor his servant. In fact, the Crown Prince never asked her to sign any contract of indenture.
She was just an independent individual, yet she chose to stay by the Crown Prince's side.
The prince slowly snapped out of his reverie, sighed softly, then closed his eyes and continued, "I have long since repaid the debt of gratitude I owe you."
It is no longer appropriate for you to stay by my side. Therefore, I am now giving you two choices...
The first option is to leave the East Palace, go see the beautiful mountains and rivers outside, and experience the beauty of the world.
The second option is also to leave the Eastern Palace, but the destination is the North, to protect A-Ning in my place.
However, Ke Youjiang's expression did not change at all. She lowered her head, staring firmly at the person on the recliner, and said stubbornly, "I just want to stay by your side."
"There is no other choice!"
The Crown Prince said in a calm tone, "I have no shortage of skilled martial artists around me. Right here in the Eastern Palace, in places you can't see, there are many royal guards hiding in the shadows. There's no need for a young lady like you to waste your time here."
"It's not about waiting... I'm happy to be by your side; it's the thing I'd most enjoy doing in my life!"
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince stiffened. He had never expected that this young girl would express her thoughts so frankly.
She usually kept quiet, but once she opened her mouth, and when she got angry, she said something big that caught him completely off guard, and his prepared words were instantly disrupted.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and then said in a more forceful tone, "Youjiang... I am not discussing this with you, but ordering you to leave the East Palace."
"Rong Sheng, you dare open your eyes and look me in the eye when you say that!"
The sound of the reins suddenly became sharp, as if it were about to pierce the roof.
Ah Heng, who was waiting outside, was bored and drowsy when he suddenly heard the noise inside. He was startled and his eyes widened in surprise.
He couldn't help but look back, his heart burning with the desire to gossip.
But when he saw the scattered palace servants moving around, he immediately realized that something was wrong. He quickly frowned and ordered in a low, stern voice, "Everyone, get out of here, shut your mouths, and pretend to be deaf and blind."
The title of Crown Prince is not something that just anyone can casually utter, after all, he is the future emperor!
Even someone with a special status like You Jiang cannot easily utter this title.
If outsiders were to overhear this, it would likely cause quite a stir and trouble.
So when the palace servants heard Ah Heng speak, they fled the scene as fast as the wind, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Inside the palace, the atmosphere was unusually tense.
The prince froze completely, unable to move.
He didn't want to face what was happening before his eyes; he was afraid of losing his temper.
When she gets angry, she's similar to Ah Ning—reckless and only wants a result.
Moreover, he felt guilty and dared not look at Youjiang.
Just as he knew perfectly well that Youjiang had special feelings for him, Youjiang also understood that the Crown Prince harbored ill intentions towards her.
The occasional glances they exchanged had already made those around them aware of the ambiguity between them.
So unclear.
They were not fools; they could naturally sense this subtle emotion.
Although they were unsure when the feelings developed, they both found them beautiful and were unwilling to destroy them.
However, at this moment, the Crown Prince had no choice but to nip this relationship in the bud.
He dared not meet You Jiang's gaze, nor could he confront the true feelings deep within his heart.
He could only close his eyes and choose to escape reality.
This love was so beautiful that the Crown Prince dared not keep her by his side.
His feigned composure shattered instantly. He rolled over, his back to Youjiang, his voice low and weak, "Youjiang... I might have to choose a concubine..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com