GTB Chapter 165

Chapter 167: Next time this happens, pack your bags and leave

Chapter 167: Next time this happens, pack your bags and leave

In Emerald Bamboo Courtyard, Jiang Jiuchu stood waiting at the door of the main house. Soon, the door opened, and Shí Yan emerged, having changed into a moon-white robe.

He was the epitome of elegance and grace, a stark contrast to Jiang Jiuchu’s attire. Although their auras were completely different, both were equally unattainable.

“Lǜluó, bring the princess her midday meal.” Shí Yan stepped out of the house, glanced at Jiang Jiuchu waiting at the door, and after tossing a sentence to Lǜluó, strode towards the courtyard entrance.

Jiang Jiuchu watched Shí Yan’s retreating figure, not following. Shí Yan’s meaning was clear: any further pursuit would show a lack of discernment.

“Miss, take it easy. It’s normal to not be able to get up the first time you fall. You can always try again.” Lǜyì, though bewildered, saw the expression on her young mistress’s face and knew things hadn’t gone well.

Jiang Jiuchu walked to the dining room next door and sat down. “Don’t worry, it’s just because there are outsiders present. I haven’t even started yet.”

She gazed at the disappearing figure at the courtyard gate, her red lips curving slightly. There were plenty of opportunities, and with daily interactions, she would find a way to perfectly execute her plan.

However, contrary to her wishes, for ten consecutive days, no matter how attentive Jiang Jiuchu was or how subtly she tried to seduce him, Shí Yan remained unmoved.

Lǜluó, watching Jiang Jiuchu lying listlessly on the chaise lounge, advised, “Miss, His Highness is back and in the study. You should go keep him company!”

“Not going.” Jiang Jiuchu turned away, facing the window, the breeze ruffling the hair on her face through the window lattice.

She closed her eyes slightly, sighing, “I see it now. His Highness simply doesn’t like me. Doing more is pointless.”

“Miss, you should try harder. You’ve been trying to win him over for so many days. If you give up now, wouldn’t all your efforts be wasted?”

“Wasted efforts are wasted efforts. What’s the big deal? I’m not going to offer him my warm face for his cold backside.”

Lǜluó looked at her young mistress’s back, thinking, had her mistress not only failed to win him over but also angered herself in the process?

Such vulgar words were the first she’d ever heard from her mistress.

“Miss, um…could it be that you haven’t fully grasped the ‘Seventy-Two Strategies for Husband Management’?”

Jiang Jiuchu became even more discouraged upon hearing this. Although she wasn’t so… directly seductive.

But he was so clever. Even if she was subtle and indirect, how could he not know what she meant?

A few times at night, she had even worn something a little sheer, and hadn’t even started seducing him!

He would directly slam the door and go practice his sword in the courtyard, as if afraid she would contaminate him, which was truly discouraging.

She turned to Lǜluó and said, “Your mistress doesn’t have enough charm. How can understanding help? He’s just not interested.”

After Jiang Jiuchu finished speaking, she lay back and closed her eyes. “Go out. Don’t disturb my nap.”

Outside, Lǜyì, carrying a bowl of snow pear soup, hurried into the room. “Miss, Miss, I saw that Miss Lin Yue go to His Highness’s study again.”

“What?” Jiang Jiuchu immediately stood up and started to leave, but as she stepped over the threshold, she quickly retreated, picked up the snow pear soup Lǜyì had just placed on the table, and headed towards the study.

Behind her, Lǜluó pursed her lips, feeling that her heartfelt advice from just now seemed a little unnecessary.

Jiang Jiuchu walked to the door and listened. Hearing no sound, she directly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

She glanced at Shí Yan, who was reading letters at his desk, then looked at Lin Yue, who was flipping through books by the bookshelf, a cold smile forming in her eyes.

It seemed she had been too polite to this Lin Yue. Seeing her enter and being ignored, did she think she was favored by His Highness, or did she think Jiang Jiuchu wasn’t favored by His Highness, to dare to act this way?

She suppressed her emotions and walked to the desk, placing the sweet soup in front of Shí Yan. “This is…snow pear soup I personally made for His Highness. It’s good for clearing heat and generating fluids. Does His Highness think it tastes good?”

Shí Yan’s gaze moved from the book, looking at the soup in front of him, his voice without much emotion. “Personally made? The princess can even do these things?”

Jiang Jiuchu replied without batting an eye, “It’s very simple. Just cut the pears and simmer them over low heat.”

Shí Yan mercilessly exposed her upon hearing this, “Is that so? But when this prince returned to the residence just now, I clearly saw Lǜyì carrying it into the courtyard.”

Jiang Jiuchu’s face froze upon hearing this, but she forced a smile. “Uh…that, Lǜluó went to help me carry it. I made this soup myself.”

Shí Yan, seeing Jiang Jiuchu’s insincere attitude, didn’t plan to let her off the hook. His slender fingers gently removed the porcelain lid.

He then picked up a spoon, took a spoonful, and tasted it, frowning. “Why is it so sweet?”

“Sweet?” Jiang Jiuchu was surprised to hear this. She didn’t like things too sweet either, and had specifically instructed the kitchen to use less rock sugar. How could it be sweet?

Thinking this, the words slipped out, “I specifically told…”

As soon as she opened her mouth, she realized her mistake and immediately rephrased, “I specifically put less rock sugar, is it still sweet? Then next time I’ll put even less.”

Shí Yan didn’t reply, but stirred the soup in the porcelain jar casually. “Why are there ginseng slices in here? Does someone think this prince is unwell and needs a boost?”

“Ah?” Jiang Jiuchu was dumbfounded, thinking, how could the kitchen add so many tonics when making pear soup?

“That…His Highness is naturally healthy. It’s just that, I, I saw His Highness managing so many affairs of state, and I felt sorry for His Highness, so I added two slices of ginseng to replenish his qi and blood.”

Shí Yan chuckled and scooped up the crushed pear slice, looking at Jiang Jiuchu. “This prince was mistaken. This is just a crushed pear slice, not ginseng at all.”

As he said this, he put it in his mouth, then stirred the porcelain jar again, raising his eyes to ask, “Where’s the ginseng? Why can’t this prince see it?”

Jiang Jiuchu looked embarrassed, realizing that Shí Yan was deliberately baiting her. Seeing Shí Yan’s amused expression, she stubbornly insisted, “Probably the simmering time was too long, and the ginseng slices were cut too thin, so they dissolved.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a low chuckle came from Lin Yue beside the bookshelf.

“The princess is a noble lady and doesn’t know how to cook, which is normal. His Highness certainly won’t mind. Why must you say you made it yourself?”

Lin Yue held a book, smiling as she walked towards them, a hint of secret triumph in her eyes as she looked at Jiang Jiuchu.

She had noticed in the past few days that this princess was constantly trying to please the Seventh Prince, but the Seventh Prince was lukewarm towards her.

In that case, this Seventh Prince was much more pleasing than her senior brother.

She turned to look at Shí Yan, her eyes carrying a virtuous and gentle smile, completely unaware of the displeasure that Shí Yan was suppressing in his eyes.

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Lin Yue’s calm but smug expression, and the way she looked at Shí Yan, and instantly became angry. A hint of anger flashed in her eyes.

“Lin Physician is truly ignorant. Can’t you see that His Highness and I are deliberately flirting? You, a mere physician, hurry up and pay your respects and leave. You have no sense of propriety at all. Next time this happens, pack your bags and leave.”