GTB Chapter 162

Chapter 164 I Didn’t Do It on Purpose

Chapter 164 I Didn’t Do It on Purpose

Jiang Jiuchu, preparing to implement her plan, nervously swallowed, her movements becoming stiff as she climbed onto the bed.

“Ah!” As Jiang Jiuchu leaped over Shí Yan, she accidentally fell on top of him.

Shí Yan put aside the book in front of him and looked down at Jiang Jiuchu, who was sprawled on his chest. “What is this…?”

“I, I… I did it on purpose, no, no, no, I… I didn’t do it on purpose, I just, just accidentally tripped.”

After speaking, Jiang Jiuchu gave Shí Yan an embarrassed smile and quickly scrambled off him, her small face flushed red.

She pulled the thin quilt over herself, turned to face the inside, and closed her eyes, her face wrinkled into a ball. Was she being too obvious just now?

It must have been too obvious. What was Shí Yan’s reaction just now? It was like he didn’t react at all! And he even asked her what she was doing?

The corners of Shí Yan’s lips, which had just been suppressed by reason, curved up again in an almost imperceptible arc. It seemed her application of the Thirty-Six Stratagems wasn’t very good.

The Next Day

Inside the imperial study in the palace, Shí Yan listened to Emperor Yue’an’s words of praise and focused his gaze on his face, which was covered with wrinkles.

“Father seems to have lost weight. Is your health not well?”

Emperor Yue’an waved his hand. “Do I look like something’s wrong? I’m fine!”

Shí Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. His father looked spirited, but he was thinner than he had been two months ago.

“Good. Father should take care of his health and ‘conserve his energy and build up strength,’ after all, you’re getting on in years.”

After saying this, Shí Yan left the imperial study before Emperor Yue’an could get angry.

Emperor Yue’an pointed to the entrance of the imperial study. “Hey! What’s with this kid? He’s got some nerve. What does he mean? Is he saying that I’m old and useless?”

Eunuch De quickly bowed and put on a smiling face. “Seventh Prince is concerned about Your Majesty’s health. He just doesn’t know how to speak properly. Your Majesty, please don’t take it to heart.”

“Hmph! I think he’s just mocking me, trying to anger me.”

Eunuch De, hearing this, didn’t respond. The Emperor had been indulging in sensual pleasures recently, but as servants, they couldn’t say a word.

Outside the imperial study, Shí Yan hadn’t walked far when he ran into Shí Xiu. He stopped and glanced at the porcelain bottle in his hand.

“Fifth Brother, what good thing do you have there?”

Shí Xiu smiled. “This is to honor Father. If Seventh Brother wants some, I’ll send some to Seventh Brother another day.”

“Shí Xiu.” Shí Yan called out to Shí Xiu, who was about to brush past him. They stood shoulder to shoulder, neither looking at the other.

Shí Yan said, “He is also your father.”

“Of course,” Shí Xiu chuckled. “I don’t have hallucinations. How could I not know who my father is?”

“Knowing that, you’re still so filial?” Shí Yan said pointedly.

“I’m doing everything I can to refine medicine for Father, to help Father regain his vigor? Is there a problem with that? Seventh Brother doesn’t want me to be filial, is he afraid that Father will favor me?”

After speaking, Shí Xiu smiled coldly and walked towards the imperial study.

Heh…! His father, his father had abandoned him in a Taoist temple to fend for himself since he was a child. If it weren’t for the Empress stopping him, he would have been cruelly strangled to death by this so-called father.

Now, he was fulfilling his request without holding a grudge, wasn’t that filial enough?

Did Shí Yan need to come in front of him and play the good guy? If he had the ability, he would have his medicine checked.

And Shí Yan had already checked his pills. It was because there were no problems that he bothered to say these things to him.

He knew that Shí Xiu’s methods weren’t in the medicine, but to hollow out the Emperor’s body and make him die from exhaustion.

Shí Yan pursed his lips and continued forward. Since one was willing to hit and the other willing to be hit, what could he say?

Inside the carriage, Green Luo looked at the several large packages of snacks on the seat. “Miss, aren’t you buying too much? Don’t we know which ones are delicious? Why buy everything?”

“We know what’s delicious, but His Highness doesn’t know! You unpack them when we get back, take out two pieces of each kind and put them on a plate. I want to curry favor.”

“Alright!”

Green Intent, who was next to her, lifted the curtain and saw the Golden Feather Pavilion outside the window. She quickly told the coachman to stop. “Miss, we’re here at the Golden Feather Pavilion. Let’s get out!”

As the group of servants and their mistress stepped into the Golden Feather Pavilion, they ran into Fan Yuwan and Li Zhirou, who were leaving.

“Seventh Princess Consort, what a coincidence. Are you here to order clothes for the palace banquet at the end of the month?”

“The palace banquet at the end of the month?” Jiang Jiuchu had never heard of any palace banquet at the end of the month.

Fan Yuwan smiled. “It seems Seventh Princess Consort doesn’t know yet, but that’s not surprising. I heard it from my brother, who works in the Ministry of Rites.”

“At the end of the month, the Crown Prince and Princess of the Northern Kingdom will come to Dong Yue. At that time, the Emperor and his ministers will hold a banquet to welcome the Crown Prince and Princess of the Northern Kingdom and wash away the dust from their journey.”

“It is said that the Crown Prince brought the Princess here for a marriage alliance. I heard that the Princess of the Northern Kingdom is as beautiful as an angel, good at singing and dancing, and especially likes handsome men. However, several of our Dong Yue princes are good-looking, so I don’t know which prince she will choose.”

Jiang Jiuchu smiled. “Is that so? That’s something to look forward to. But if it’s a marriage alliance, do you think the Crown Prince of the Northern Kingdom will marry a beauty from our Dong Yue back?”

As she spoke, she pretended not to understand and said, “This Princess Consort hasn’t attended such a palace banquet before, so I don’t know much about marriage alliances.”

“But if that’s the case, and the royal family doesn’t have any princesses waiting to be married, will they choose from noble ladies of aristocratic families? I wonder which family’s daughter the Crown Prince will choose?”

“Seventh Princess Consort certainly doesn’t…”

Before Fan Yuwan could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Jiang Jiuchu. “Oh dear! I’m in a hurry, so I won’t talk to you anymore. Let’s chat next time.”

Li Zhirou turned her head and looked at Jiang Jiuchu, who was walking inside, then turned back to Fan Yuwan.

“Sister Yuwan, what does this Seventh Princess Consort mean? The one coming here for a marriage alliance is clearly the Princess, so why did she say that?”

“What she says can’t change the facts.”

Fan Yuwan curled her lips. She was indeed looking forward to the arrival of that Princess. She wondered if the Northern Kingdom Princess, who liked beautiful faces, would choose the Seventh Prince?

If she chose the Seventh Prince, then the Seventh Prince would definitely not refuse. After all, this marriage alliance would help him seize the throne, and no prince would want not to be chosen.

She would like to see how Jiang Jiuchu would continue to be the only one to receive the Seventh Prince’s favor at that time.

Upstairs on the second floor, as soon as Madam Jin saw Jiang Jiuchu, she immediately stepped forward to greet her. “Oh! What wind has blown the Seventh Princess Consort here! Since our last meeting, I, Madam Jin, have been constantly thinking of the Seventh Princess Consort.”

“Madam Jin is too kind. If you were a handsome young man, I might believe a few words of yours.” Jiang Jiuchu didn’t expect Madam Jin to be so forthright.

“I’m telling the truth. The Seventh Princess Consort’s beauty can not only amaze men, but also amaze women.”

As Madam Jin spoke, she stared straight at Jiang Jiuchu with a smiling expression, as if she couldn’t get enough of looking at her.

Jiang Jiuchu was a little embarrassed by Madam Jin’s gaze, so she asked, “Madam Jin, do you have any ready-made dresses here that I can wear?”

She felt that ordering something would be a little slow, so if there were any ready-made ones, she could buy two sets to take back first.

“Yes, yes, yes. I just made a few new styles.” As Madam Jin spoke, she led Jiang Jiuchu into the inner room.