GTB Chapter 141

Chapter 143: I ‘Beg’ You

Jiang Jiuchu stared blankly at Shí Yan walking towards her, feeling a sense of inescapable doom.

She hadn’t expected Shí Yan to be so direct; was he confessing his feelings to her?

Shí Yan walked over and sat sideways next to Jiang Jiuchu. He didn’t make any other moves, just looked at her casually and said, “Tell me, why have you been avoiding this prince these past few days?”

Jiang Jiuchu moved slightly to the side and, instead of answering, asked Shí Yan, “Then tell me, Your Highness, why have you been acting this way lately?”

Shí Yan’s expression faltered slightly. He had originally thought that Jiang Jiuchu would definitely deny it and argue with him, but he didn’t expect her to ask this instead.

But why was he acting this way? Wasn’t it obvious? Did she not understand, or did she not want to understand?

He rested one hand on the railing next to Jiang Jiuchu, picked up a strand of her hair, and played with it in his hand, gazing steadily at her.

“Wasn’t what I said just now direct enough? The phoenix seeks the phoenix, I… beg you.”

Jiang Jiuchu swallowed nervously, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by Shí Yan’s words and his seemingly casual but extremely assertive gaze.

But since Shí Yan had pressed her this far, avoiding the issue wasn’t a long-term solution; she had to bite the bullet and ask him clearly.

“Wasn’t everything agreed upon that wedding night? Didn’t you say then… that you didn’t like me? It’s only been a couple of months.”

After she asked, she didn’t see Shí Yan answer, so she followed his gaze to her shoulder, and her face immediately turned red. She quickly brushed her hair away from his fingers.

Shí Yan was thinking about how to answer her question when he saw the strand of hair slip away instantly. He rubbed his fingers together and then looked at Jiang Jiuchu and said,

“Two months of being together day and night is enough to fall in love with someone, isn’t it?”

“Besides, if you really like someone, sometimes just one glance is enough for a lifetime; otherwise, how would the saying ‘love at first sight’ exist?”

“Conversely, if you don’t like someone, even spending ten thousand years together is useless. So, this is fate.”

Jiang Jiuchu was speechless by Shí Yan’s words. Two months was indeed enough to fall in love with someone; she and Brother Fu hadn’t even known each other for two months before they fell in love.

But she didn’t think that Shí Yan’s feelings were the same as hers. She deliberately said, “Then Your Highness falls in love really quickly, and forgets someone just as quickly.”

Shí Yan felt a little displeased. This woman could fall in love with someone else in two months, but when it came to him, it was too fast? Also, what did she mean by “forgets someone just as quickly”?

“Are you saying that this prince is not loyal? Jiang Jiuchu, where did you see that this prince’s feelings change easily?”

Jiang Jiuchu felt that he had forgotten completely. Sure enough, people were easily forgotten once they were gone. “Has Your Highness forgotten about the girl who was taken away by the flower thief before?”

After she said that, she looked at Shí Yan’s surprised expression and felt a little scared, fearing that she had touched a sore spot in his heart and angered him. She quickly added,

“But that’s understandable; after all, that girl is already gone. The deceased are gone, and the living must move on. It’s good that Your Highness is thinking things through, and you should think things through. My words were inappropriate; please don’t take it to heart.”

Shí Yan was stunned for a moment and finally understood the crux of the matter. So, she actually thought that he liked Yu Qin?

He remembered the questions he had asked Jiang Jiuchu on their wedding night, sat up a little straighter, and said to Jiang Jiuchu:

“I met that girl at an auction at Mo Feng Pavilion. I immediately felt that she resembled an old friend of mine, so I didn’t want her to fall into the hands of a pervert, and I had a moment of compassion and brought her back to the mansion. I definitely never liked her.”

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan in surprise, completely unexpected that this was the situation. No wonder she felt that the girl looked somewhat familiar at the time; so she was the woman playing the *qin* at the auction?

Seeing that Shí Yan didn’t seem to be lying, she asked again, “Is that all?”

Shí Yan saw that Jiang Jiuchu didn’t seem to believe him and immediately said, “That’s all. You can ask any servant in my mansion. Shí Yan is responsible for his actions and will never lie to you. I would never dare to deny a woman I have loved.”

He felt a little regretful in his heart. If he had known this would happen, he shouldn’t have brought Yu Qin back to the mansion in the first place.

“Oh! So it’s not, then it’s not!” Jiang Jiuchu originally wanted to use this matter to get a hold of him, but she didn’t expect this to be the result.

She thought for a while and continued, “I didn’t realize that Your Highness is so kind-hearted! When I first entered your palace, I thought you didn’t have a good face for girls, but I didn’t expect there to be exceptions!”

Shí Yan’s face stiffened, his thin lips twitched, and finally he uttered three words to Jiang Jiuchu: “I’m sorry.”

Jiang Jiuchu was stunned, not expecting this person to apologize to her. She felt a little lost.

“Your Highness is too serious. There’s no need to apologize. There’s nothing to be sorry for. It’s normal for you to suspect me, question me, make me sleep on the floor, and not give me quilts. These are all small things, no… no need to apologize.”

As Shí Yan listened to Jiang Jiuchu listing his faults one by one, the expression on his face slowly solidified. Except for questioning her, he had done all of these things.

Sleeping on the floor seemed to be her own choice, right? She also didn’t want to share a quilt with him. How did these things all become his fault for not giving her a quilt and making her sleep on the floor?

He remembered the picture books he had read and what Chu Yifeng had said: when a woman lists a man’s faults, as long as she doesn’t say that you committed murder or arson, you have to admit your mistakes, whether you’re at fault or not.

He immediately leaned closer to Jiang Jiuchu. “I was wrong before. How about I make it up to you in the future?”

Jiang Jiuchu quickly retreated when she saw this. “No… no need to make it up to me.”

Shí Yan saw her retreating and continued to press forward. “That won’t do. I must make it up to you. Otherwise, starting today, I’ll punish myself by serving you with dressing, meals… bathing, and sleeping.”

Jiang Jiuchu’s face turned red. This person didn’t look like he was making amends at all; he clearly wanted to take advantage of her.

“No need, I have Green Luo and Green Yi to serve me, I don’t need you to do it.”

“How can their service compare to this prince’s?” Seeing that Jiang Jiuchu had nowhere to retreat, Shí Yan directly reached out and supported the railing beside her, trapping her. He leaned close to her ear, his voice low and ambiguous.

“How about I serve you tonight?”

Jiang Jiuchu trembled all over, immediately turned her head away, her face red, and said to Shí Yan, “No way.”

The look in Shí Yan’s eyes darkened. He hadn’t expected her to reject him so quickly even after the misunderstanding was resolved. “That won’t do. I can’t serve you well, and I’ll feel guilty.”

“Um… If Your Highness really wants to apologize, you can sleep on the floor. I’ll sleep on the floor for a few days, and you’ll sleep on the floor for a few days.”

After Jiang Jiuchu said this, she explained, “I don’t like making up for things after the fact; I only like tit for tat. So, Your Highness…”

“Okay,” Shí Yan directly agreed before Jiang Jiuchu could finish speaking.

“If I remember correctly, you slept for four days, so this prince will sleep on the floor for four days. Will that be okay?”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded blankly at Shí Yan in front of her, feeling that he had agreed a little too quickly.

Seeing her nod, Shí Yan confirmed again, “So after four days, this matter will be over, right?”

Jiang Jiuchu guessed what Shí Yan wanted to express, but she couldn’t find any reason to prevaricate for a moment, so she nodded again.

Seeing this, Shí Yan thought about it and still felt that he should make his words clear, firstly to see her reaction, and secondly to prevent her from going back on her word later.

“Then we’ll consummate our marriage after four days? Imperial Grandmother has been looking for me many times because of this matter, and recently she even wanted to take a concubine for me, but I refused.”

Jiang Jiuchu blushed and pushed Shí Yan away, not directly answering his words, but taking the opportunity to say:

“Actually, there’s no need for Your Highness to refuse. Anyway, you’ll have to marry a concubine sooner or later. It’s better to marry her back sooner and let her serve Your Highness sooner.”

She wanted to say that this would save him from pestering her about consummating their marriage every day. She still didn’t believe how much Shí Yan could love her, at most it was just liking her!

Perhaps, as her master said, most men think you’re good in every way when they can’t get you, and they have plenty of time to follow you around. Once they get you, it’s a completely different story.

Shí Yan didn’t know if Jiang Jiuchu was testing him or sincerely wanted him to marry a concubine back so that he wouldn’t pester her.

He directly took this opportunity to promise Jiang Jiuchu: “It seems that Chu’er doesn’t remember what I said. In this palace of mine, besides the Emerald Bamboo Garden, there isn’t a single extra courtyard for any woman to live in.”

As he spoke, he looked at Jiang Jiuchu, “In this life, Shí Yan only needs one person. Of the three thousand rivers, I only take one scoop.”

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan in disbelief. She had heard him mention this vaguely before. He said it casually, and she listened casually.

Now, was he making a promise to her?

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan, whose expression had become serious, and her heart began to beat uncontrollably.

After being stunned for a long time, she said, “It’s easy to say these words, but difficult to do. Your Highness, don’t make promises casually just to coax someone.”

As she spoke, she ignored Shí Yan’s expression and pointed to the flower bed below, “There are so many kinds of flowers, each with a different variety. Some are pure, some are bright, each with their own colorful fragrance. Even the same kind of flower blooms in different sizes and heights, not to mention that the ones that bloom first are about to wither, and there are more buds waiting to bloom later.”

After she said that, she turned to ask Shí Yan, “Why does Your Highness only want to pick one? Have you ever thought that the flower in your hand will no longer be beautiful with time? When that time comes, there will still be flowers blooming in the garden…”

Shí Yan couldn’t listen to Jiang Jiuchu’s words any longer and directly interrupted her, “No, definitely not, absolutely not. If I can’t do it, then let the heavens punish me to be alone for the rest of my life.”

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan, who was expressing his feelings to her as much as possible. Besides shock, there was also a hint of doubt in her heart. Why did it feel like he knew she was particularly concerned about this point? She didn’t seem to have expressed her desire for one love for life in front of him!

“Your Highness can decide this matter yourself. If you really don’t want to take a concubine, then don’t. There’s no need to make such a promise to me, as if I’m not letting you take a concubine.”

Shí Yan smiled at Jiang Jiuchu and didn’t point it out. “My promise is for myself. I myself don’t want to take a concubine. I get a headache when I see other women. Besides, my physical strength is limited, and I can only serve one woman. If there are too many, I’m afraid I’ll die young.”

Listening to Shí Yan’s words, Jiang Jiuchu really wanted to slip away immediately. Why were all her words being taken so distastefully by this person?

Also, which man would say that his physical strength was not good? She couldn’t bear to hear him say it.

“It’s getting late, let’s go back!”

“Okay.” Shí Yan got up and took Jiang Jiuchu’s hand, with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth.

Although he had to sleep on the floor tonight, he felt like he had seen the light after breaking through the clouds. He felt that even if Jiang Jiuchu hadn’t completely fallen in love with him, she had accepted him.

As long as she accepted him, he wasn’t afraid that she wouldn’t fall in love with him.

Chu Yifeng often said that if a woman was willing to give her body, then she was willing to give her heart. He believed this.

Jiang Jiuchu was being led by Shí Yan, but her thoughts were complicated. She had many reasons to reject Shí Yan before, but now that the problem she cared about most was easily solved by Shí Yan, why did she have a feeling that she couldn’t even explain herself?

Especially the big hand holding hers, which made her inexplicably think of the peach blossoms in the Qingyin Temple, where Brother Fu was also holding her hand like this.

She suddenly understood the feeling in her heart. Was it guilt? It seemed so.

But why should she feel guilty? Shouldn’t she consummate her marriage and love her husband?

Probably because of the note that Brother Fu wrote to her, Brother Fu said that he had been guarding her side all the time. She felt that if Brother Fu’s original intention for her remained unchanged, but she was planning to fall in love with someone else, that was why she felt that guilt!

Shí Yan led Jiang Jiuchu all the way and noticed that she was a little distracted, so he said to her, “After dinner, how about I take you to the street to stroll around?”

“Okay.” Jiang Jiuchu nodded to Shí Yan, abandoning the feeling in her heart.

She felt that it might not be just one reason, perhaps there was also the grace of saving her life, and Brother Fu’s pitiful background, all kinds of reasons gathered together, making her unwilling to fall in love with someone else before him.

But she was already married, the die was cast, there was no possibility for her and Brother Fu, so what could more feelings do? It was just looking for trouble.

Seeing her agree, Shí Yan’s eyebrows and eyes unconsciously dyed with a smile.

In the Emerald Bamboo Garden, Governess Li was just about to send someone out to call Shí Yan and Jiang Jiuchu back for dinner when she saw the two coming in hand in hand.

Seeing that her Highness’s expression was gentle, although there was no obvious smile, it was obvious at a glance that he was in a very good mood.

She secretly thought in her heart that it seemed that she would be able to return to the palace soon.

She had lived for most of her life and had never seen anyone who had consummated their marriage after getting along first after marriage. She was afraid that she would never find a young man like their Highness in the world again. This Miss Jiang was really a blessed person.

The summer days were dark late, and after Jiang Jiuchu and Shí Yan had dinner, the sky was still hanging with red clouds. It was not until the two’s carriage arrived at East Magpie Street that the sky was completely dark.

As soon as Shí Yan arrived at East Magpie Street, he called the driver to stop the car, took Jiang Jiuchu’s hand, and got out of the carriage. Strolling on the street meant starting from the beginning.

Jiang Jiuchu had not come out to stroll on the street at night since she married into the Seventh Prince’s Mansion. This was her first time out.

The streets on summer nights were very lively, and there were more vendors and pedestrians than usual. Big red lanterns illuminated the entire street in a bright red.

Shí Yan hadn’t walked two steps when he pulled Jiang Jiuchu to a stall selling lanterns and pointed to several cute rabbit lanterns and asked, “Do you like them?”