GTB Chapter 110

Chapter 110: The Difficulty of Overcoming the Emotional Barrier

Chapter 110: The Difficulty of Overcoming the Emotional Barrier

Jiang Jiuchu felt that Shí Yan’s glance at her just now was somewhat strange, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

She walked to the desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down, looking at Shí Yan and asking, “Did the palace maid Your Highness brought back provide any clues?”

“None. The palace maid committed suicide.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiuchu’s face paled in shock, and a chill ran through her.

Suppressing the fear of being secretly targeted, she said, “I have a guess, Your Highness can listen to it casually. If you don’t think it’s right, don’t be angry.”

She was afraid that her unfounded guess would displease the person in front of her, and that he would think she was limited to the concerns of the inner court, judging others by her own standards.

“Tell me about it.” Shí Yan closed his folding fan, somewhat curious about her guess, wondering what kind of guess would make her worry about him being angry. Did he look like someone who got angry easily?

Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes flickered slightly, and she then said, “Well… Your Highness is extraordinarily handsome and unparalleled in grace, and your status is also extraordinary. I imagine… there must be quite a few people who admire Your Highness!”

Shí Yan realized Jiang Jiuchu’s meaning upon hearing the last sentence, and pursed his lips, thinking, “Does she have to beat around the bush like that?”

Jiang Jiuchu continued, “I imagine there must be quite a few infatuated ones among them. If Your Highness can’t find any evidence, you can try thinking in this direction. Although the witness is dead, if Your Highness has any suspects, you can tell me, and I can be more wary of that person.”

As she spoke, she stared at Shí Yan in front of her, dressed in a pale white brocade robe embroidered with gold, with an exquisite and ethereal appearance, and a noble air. If you only looked at the surface, he resembled an immortal, making people feel unworthy to defile him, yet also wanting to touch him.

It had to be said that such an appearance could easily make people fall in love at first sight, coupled with his status as a prince, it was very likely to make girls who liked him jealous and malicious.

“Okay, I understand.” Shí Yan had never paid attention to these things before, but he still responded and called Mu Huo over to investigate in this direction.

After giving his instructions, he looked at Jiang Jiuchu, “In the future, for palace banquets, as long as this prince doesn’t go, you can go or not as you please. There’s no need to put on those appearances.”

“Okay.” Jiang Jiuchu nodded. This was good. She didn’t like attending unfamiliar banquets and disliked social pleasantries.

“Is your health any better?” Jiang Jiuchu was about to get up and leave when she heard Shí Yan’s question.

Her body stiffened slightly, “Much better, thank you for Your Highness’s concern.”

“Well, then accompany this prince in a game of chess!” Shí Yan said, picking up the chessboard beside him.

Jiang Jiuchu thought that she had studied his chessboard last time, so she might as well try to see if she could win. If she could win, she could bet with him again.

Thinking of this, she moved the chair under her closer to the desk, then moved a pot of white pieces next to her and began to make her moves.

After a stick of incense, Jiang Jiuchu placed her last piece, her eyes filled with joy. She had actually won! Indeed, hard work pays off. For anything, you had to know yourself and your enemy, learn more, and watch more, and you could win.

Seeing her barely suppressed smile, Shí Yan praised softly, “Not bad, you’ve improved.” He had indeed lost, although he hadn’t played with all his focus, he hadn’t deliberately let her win either.

Therefore, he lost this game of chess without leaving a trace.

Just as Jiang Jiuchu was thinking about playing another game, the sound of Li Mama calling for dinner came from outside the door.

She had no choice but to stop for now, thinking of playing again at night.

The moon hung on the treetops, and the lanterns were lit.

In the private room on the second floor of Mo Feng Pavilion, Gu Changxuan sipped his wine lightly, his gaze falling on the woman playing the *qin* downstairs, as if reminiscing about the past.

He never knew that the word “love” could be so hurtful. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t forget the lotus-like woman, even though he tried to love another woman.

If the Seventh Prince hadn’t interfered that day, if he had successfully redeemed Yu Qin, things wouldn’t be like this, Yu Qin wouldn’t have died, and he wouldn’t be suffering and reminiscing like this now.

In the midst of his thoughts, the door of the private room was pushed open, and Shí Xiu walked in dressed in white, “Brother Gu is in a good mood, finding such an elegant place to drink tea and wine. I wonder what Brother Gu wants from me today?”

Gu Changxuan poured wine for Shí Xiu while smiling, “Today there’s nothing particularly important. It’s just that I don’t have many friends in Kyoto, and I was thinking that Prince Rui has just come to Kyoto, and probably doesn’t know many people either, so I wanted to get together with Prince Rui. Besides, there’s something I’d like to ask you about.”

“Oh! What is it?” Shí Xiu picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and put it down, looking at Gu Changxuan with a puzzled expression.

Gu Changxuan sighed, “It’s said that even heroes can’t resist the charms of beautiful women, but I, Gu Changxuan, am just a scholar, yet I can’t overcome this barrier either. Prince Rui has cultivated himself in the temple for many years, can you perhaps help mexiè, untie, resolve this emotional barrier?”

Shí Xiu was a little surprised, seemingly not expecting Gu Changxuan to tell him these things, “I didn’t expect that Master Gu would be so infatuated. But I only grew up in the temple, and I’m still within these seven emotions and six desires, so I’m afraid I can’t resolve your emotional barrier.”

“However, with Master Gu’s talent and appearance, how could you not get what you want? Does she dislike you, or is she already married?”

Upon hearing this, a trace of pain flashed in Gu Changxuan’s eyes, and he smiled bitterly, “If only that were the case. If she disliked me, I would pursue her. If she were married, I would snatch her away. But she’s dead…”

As he said this, a hint of hatred emerged in his eyes, “It’s all because of the Seventh Prince, Shí Yan. If it weren’t for his interference, she wouldn’t have died.”

Listening to Gu Changxuan’s words, Shí Xiu’s eyes were filled with confusion, “Because of Shí Yan?”

“Yes, if it weren’t for him…” Gu Changxuan recounted the events, but in his words, Shí Yan had taken a fancy to Yu Qin’s beauty, while Yu Qin had always been deeply in love with him and was forced to submit.

Shí Xiu was somewhat surprised to hear this, not expecting Shí Yan to take a fancy to a courtesan. But the woman who could make Gu Changxuan so devoted must have had some differences.

“Brother Gu, don’t be sad. Since that girl has already left this world, it means her fate with this place is over. Perhaps she has already been reincarnated and started a new life.”

“Yes! She has completely disappeared. There’s no news of her in this world anymore, but I must take revenge for this.”

After saying this, he looked at Shí Xiu, beginning to get to the point, and not concealing his purpose at all, “Your Highness is luckier than me. The person you admire is right in front of you, and as far as I know, that Miss Jiang seems to have someone else in her heart and doesn’t have much affection for the Seventh Prince. Is Your Highness really willing to accept this? Aren’t you going to try to snatch her away, to take a chance?”

Shí Xiu didn’t mind Gu Changxuan’s obvious attempt to use him for revenge. First, he was using him openly and honestly, and second, the most sincere and lasting cooperation was based on mutually beneficial relationships.

“Did Miss Ji tell you that she has someone she likes?”

Gu Changxuan nodded, “I intentionally talked to Miss Ji about the two of them. Although she didn’t say it directly, I could tell from her words. As for who that person in her heart is, I couldn’t ask too much.”

After saying this, he picked up the wine pot and filled Shí Xiu’s cup, then talked about the other princes, as if the conversation just now was just a temporary outburst of his sorrow.

Seventh Prince’s Residence.

As soon as Shí Yan entered the room, he saw Jiang Jiuchu staring blankly at a bowl of bitter medicinal soup in front of her. He walked to the table and sat down, “This medicine is almost cold, and the Princess Consort still hasn’t drunk it?”

Jiang Jiuchu glanced at Shí Yan, whose tone was relaxed, and sighed in her heart. People really shouldn’t gloat, it hadn’t been long before the tables turned.

She picked up two cups, poured herself two cups of water, then picked up the bowl of medicine, and with a grimace, gulped down several mouthfuls before finishing the bowl.

After finishing, she quickly picked up the clear water, rinsed her mouth, and drank it, then quickly grabbed a piece of pastry from the table and stuffed it into her mouth. After completing the entire process, she finally suppressed the bitterness completely.

Shí Yan watched the whole process, frowning slightly, as if he understood the bitterness of the soup from Jiang Jiuchu’s expression.

He said softly, in a matter-of-fact tone, “Now that you’ve finished eating, go to the wardrobe and get a set of clothes to serve this prince in bathing and changing clothes!”