flstandardbreds Chapter 36 Peeping at His Highness the Crown Prince
Chapter 36 Peeping at His Highness the Crown Prince
Xiao Hengzhi slowly pulled over a stool, sat down in front of her, and quietly looked at her.
The deep affection and desire that had been suppressed in his heart for so long surged forth like a tidal wave.
His hand twitched slightly, almost instinctively reaching out to her; he wanted to hug her again.
"Second Miss," his voice was low, tinged with a restrained gentleness, "I didn't intend to say these things so soon; at the very least, I should have been more serious..."
Xiao Hengzhi looked up, his eyes filled with an overwhelming affection: "Actually... saying I had a girl I liked was a lie. I've never liked anyone else, I've always..."
He was about to say the words, but suddenly hesitated to speak them.
He hesitated, wondering whether he should break down the defenses in his heart.
In her past life, Jiang Mian did not love him. Marrying him was merely a temporary measure for her. Moreover, considering how he treated her later, it would be justified to tear him to pieces.
In this life, he may have developed some feelings for her, but he is unsure of the weight of those feelings.
If I were to express my feelings now, I'd probably only earn her dislike.
Perhaps even the little bit of relationship he managed to maintain will disappear.
Jiang Wan looked up and met his eyes; their gazes met in the air.
Her heart tightened suddenly, and she vaguely realized what he was about to say—Xiao Hengzhi, just like before, has always loved her!
She wasn't being presumptuous!
Jiang Wan suddenly felt her breathing become rapid, her heart pounding like a drum. She stood up abruptly and said hastily, "It's not a good day for idle chatter, I'm leaving now!"
She hurriedly walked around him, but as soon as she took a step, she felt her arm tighten and was grabbed.
"Second Miss..."
Jiang Man's heart was in her throat.
Xiao Hengzhi felt her stiff wrist, took a deep breath, suppressed the emotions that were about to spill out of his heart, and regained some composure in his tone.
"Second Miss forgot her things."
He handed her the belt on the table.
Jiang Mian took the belt, responded softly, and didn't even dare to look up at him again before hurriedly running out.
She ran through the courtyard until she turned into the corridor, where Jiang Mian leaned against the wall, raising her hand to cover her chest and catch her breath.
Perhaps because she was running too fast, she felt her face was flushed and her heart was pounding.
I clearly heard him say this in my past life, so why am I so nervous now that I'm all grown up?
Just then, Jiang Li was leading her maids in practicing their gait and manners in the courtyard when she saw her run out of Xiao Heng's room, still holding a belt in her hand.
She snorted and said sarcastically, "How shameless! I think the one who should be drinking contraceptive soup is her."
After speaking, she raised her chin and walked with a ladylike gait.
……
At midday, Jiang Xun left the court and returned to his residence.
The servants in the mansion were already lined up at the gate to greet them, while the inner courtyard was a scene of bustling activity.
Granny Xu was calling out to the maids to head towards the main hall in the backyard.
Jiang Wan remained in the room, lost in thought about the events of today, a tapestry of her past and present lives intertwined. On one hand, she felt that Xiao Hengzhi was actually quite decent now, but on the other hand, the memory of that mad regent from her past life made her furious...
Two conflicting emotions swirled within her, making her feel uneasy, as if she were being bitten by ants all over her body.
I opened the door, intending to take a walk in the yard, but saw all the servants hurrying towards the backyard.
She went over and asked, "Granny Xu, why are you in such a panic? What happened?"
When Xu Mama saw her coming, she waved away the maids and turned to bow, saying, "Second Miss, I was just about to look for you. Today, His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly came to the mansion, and the master specifically instructed the women of the household not to go to the front hall to disturb him."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince?" Jiang Mian asked in surprise.
"Yes, Your Highness's arrival was sudden, and the family was unprepared, so they seemed a bit rushed."
"Do you know what Your Highness has come here for?"
"I don't know about that."
Jiang Wan nodded slightly: "Okay, go ahead and do your thing."
"Yes."
Jiang Mian wondered to herself why Ning Zhi had suddenly come to visit.
Logically, if the father wanted to thank him for saving his life, he should have gone to the Crown Prince's palace to express his gratitude. Why would he ask the Crown Prince to condescend to come here in person?
She was puzzled, but she couldn't just go to the front hall without knowing what was going on.
After thinking it over, she took a step and walked towards the backyard.
In a corner of the backyard, there is a long-abandoned side room. Although it is dilapidated, a corner of the front hall can be glimpsed from it.
In my past life, I often spied on my father discussing matters in the front hall.
She walked over and quietly pushed open the door, only to find that someone was already inside.
"Jiang Li?"
She stood at the doorway and saw her peeking out the window.
"what are you doing here?"
Jiang Li dusted off her skirt and said, "Just passing by. What brings you here again?"
Seeing that she was pretending to be busy, Jiang Wan said, "You're not here to see His Highness the Crown Prince, are you?"
Caught off guard, Jiang Li was momentarily embarrassed. She grabbed a dusty paperweight and retorted, "Who said that! I came here to get something!"
After saying that, he picked up the paperweight and waved it in front of her, shaking off the dust.
Jiang Mian didn't bother to expose her, and covered her mouth and nose, saying, "Then take your things and leave."
After she finished speaking, she went inside, pulled Jiang Li out, and stood by the window herself.
Jiang Li's face was grim, but she was unwilling to back down. She glared at her with venomous eyes and said, "You still haven't told me what you're here for?"
"Me?" Jiang Wan replied calmly, her tone tinged with a hint of mockery. "I'm here to see His Highness the Crown Prince, just like you."
"You!" Jiang Li blushed with anger, picked up the paperweight, and pointed it at her.
"What do you mean, 'what do I mean'? I'm not like some people who dare to do something but not admit it." As she spoke, she gave her a disdainful look.
Jiang Li angrily threw down the paperweight and stormed out.
Jiang Mian glanced at her indifferently, then ignored her and stood by the window, her gaze falling on the front hall through the crack in the window.
In the front hall, Ning Zhi and Jiang Xun sat facing each other, sipping tea and chatting leisurely, their expressions relaxed and at ease, as if they were having a casual conversation.
She carefully observed the expressions of the two men and thought that as long as her father stood on Ning Zhi's side, if the emperor sent Jiang Shi to fight at Fengyu Pass, Ning Zhi would definitely not let her father take the risk in order to protect his subordinates.
This gives the Jiang family another layer of protection.
Ning Zhi's visit today might be an attempt to recruit his father.
Seeing the two talking and smiling, Jiang Wan felt a little relieved. Just as she was about to go out, she found the door locked.
The side room had long been abandoned and in disrepair, and she assumed it was just that the wooden door was a bit stiff.
She pulled harder, but there was still no response.
Startled, he suddenly realized what was happening, pounded on the door a few times, and punched it. Jiang Li must have locked it from the outside!
Jiang Wan kicked him several times, but there was no reaction. She then went to the window and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Is anyone there! Someone come here!"
There was no response.
All the maids went to the back hall, and there wasn't even a sweeper outside.
She picked up a wooden stick and pounded on the doors and windows with all her might, but they didn't budge. Instead, dust flew everywhere, making her cough repeatedly.
Judging from this, she doesn't know how long she'll have to wait before anyone comes.
Meanwhile, inside the front hall, Ning Zhi and Jiang Xun continued their lively conversation.
"Does the Grand Commander still remember the time two years ago in Yanzhou when you led your troops to rescue a group of people from mountain bandits?" Ning Zhi asked casually as he recalled the past.
"I remember, it was on the way back to the capital after the victory. Why did Your Highness mention this matter?"
Ning Zhi smiled and said, "That group of people are older palace servants who were sent out from the palace. One of them is my wet nurse when I was a child."
Jiang Xun looked surprised: "This humble official was unaware of such a connection."
"Yes, so it must be fate."
After he finished speaking, he looked around the courtyard, glancing around as if he were looking for someone.
Jiang Xun asked, "What is Your Highness looking for?"
Ning Zhi smiled slightly, his tone still calm: "Oh, I saw that Miss Jiang was unwell after falling into the water the other day. I wonder if she is feeling better?"
"Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness. My daughter is now fully recovered. At that time, Your Highness concealed your identity, and I do not know whether my daughter's words and actions were polite or not. If there was anything inappropriate, I hope Your Highness will not blame me."
After Jiang Xun finished speaking, he noticed that Ning Zhi still had a searching look in his eyes, and quickly realized what he was looking for.
He stood up and said, "Your Highness, please have a seat. I will go and fetch my daughter to come and thank Your Highness for saving my life."
Ning Zhi nodded in agreement. After Jiang Xun left, he picked up the cup, stroked the rim, and frowned thoughtfully.
“Lu Fang,” he suddenly said.
"What are your orders, Your Highness?" a guard dressed as a servant asked.
"Any leads on the person I asked you to investigate last time?"