GTB Chapter 167

Chapter 169: Has He Given Up So Easily?

Jiang Jiuchu looked at the clothes held by Green Luo, the orange-red color was beyond her expectations.

“Spread them out and let me see.”

Upon hearing this, Green Luo and Green Yi hurriedly smiled and unfolded the clothes. The orange-red fabric, with a faint luster, instantly cascaded before Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes.

The gold thread embroidery on the belt and the flowing light blue ribbons made the entire garment elegant and eye-catching.

After looking at it, Jiang Jiuchu nodded in satisfaction. “Not bad, beautiful and festive. Put it away!”

“Doesn’t Miss want to try it on?” the two asked, looking at Jiang Jiuchu.

“No need.” Jiang Jiuchu pinched the round fan in her hand, got up, and lay down on the chaise longue by the window.

Her slender, white hand slowly fanned the air with the round fan, her embroidered eyebrows looking out the window, thinking about what Fan Yuwan had said to her when they met at the Golden Feather Pavilion a few days ago.

She was a little worried that if the Northern Kingdom princess was really like what Fan Yuwan said, favoring men with handsome appearances, wouldn’t she really choose Shí Yan?

Jiang Jiuchu shook her head. It shouldn’t be. Although Shí Yan was handsome, he already had her as his princess consort. In comparison, the Eighth Prince and Shí Xiu were more suitable.

Forget it! If the princess really chose Shí Yan, she could just see if Shí Yan would refuse such a noble and beautiful princess.

The next day.

Jiang Jiuchu woke up when the morning light was high. She quickly got up and shouted towards the outside of the room, “Green Luo.”

Green Luo, who was waiting at the door, quickly ran into the room. “Yes, Miss, you’re awake!”

“Isn’t there a palace banquet today? Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Miss, His Highness said there’s no rush to go. Going early is just waiting. He instructed this servant not to wake you.” Green Luo looked at her Miss, her face a mixture of joy and shyness.

“What’s with that expression?” Before Jiang Jiuchu could ask again, she saw Green Luo’s strange expression.

“Nothing, this servant is just happy for Miss. Miss has finally coaxed His Highness into a good mood.”

“Coaxed into a good mood? What did His Highness do?” Jiang Jiuchu looked at Green Luo with a puzzled expression. She didn’t know when she had coaxed that man into a good mood. She hadn’t even paid him any attention last night!

Could it be that this man is the type who doesn’t want to be chased after, and ignoring him actually makes him feel better?

Green Luo said, puzzled, “His Highness and Miss were intimate, isn’t that being in a good mood?”

“What intimacy? Who told you that? Did His Highness say that?” Jiang Jiuchu felt that her brain wasn’t working properly early in the morning.

“Ah! Was it not? This servant saw His Highness specifically instructing not to wake you up early, and thought that His Highness was being considerate of Miss being tired last night!”

“No.” Jiang Jiuchu denied with a red face. Seeing Green Yi entering with the washbasin, she quickly got off the bed and went to wash up.

When walking to the bronze mirror, Jiang Jiuchu glanced outside the courtyard. “Where is His Highness?”

Green Yi replied, “When this servant brought the water in earlier, His Highness had just left the courtyard. He probably went to the front yard to wait for Miss!”

“Oh!”

With Shí Yan’s words, Jiang Jiuchu wasn’t in a hurry. After dressing up and having breakfast at a leisurely pace, she walked out of the courtyard with Green Luo and Mu Qing.

However, there was no sign of Shí Yan in the front yard or the main hall.

“Miss, His Highness may have left already! We should hurry and enter the palace!”

“Mm!” Jiang Jiuchu hummed softly, raised her foot, and walked towards the outside of the manor, her exquisite face with lightly furrowed embroidered eyebrows, her eyes slightly focused.

Was Shí Yan doing it on purpose by not letting anyone wake her up today?

Did he want to enter the palace early to meet that Northern Kingdom princess?

Her pink fist clenched tightly in her wide sleeve. So, his indifference towards her during this period was because he had already abandoned her in his heart?

The Northern Kingdom was the strongest country besides Dong Yue. If he married the Northern Kingdom princess, it would be much easier to plot for that position!

Jiang Jiuchu thought as she walked to the carriage. After Green Luo lifted the curtain, she was still thinking when she stepped into the carriage and realized that Shí Yan was lazily leaning inside.

She immediately froze. He… hadn’t left her behind to enter the palace early.

Shí Yan looked at Jiang Jiuchu, who was stunned outside the carriage. A look of amazement flashed in his eyes. The orange-red dress was dazzling and eye-catching in the morning sun, but the surprised expression on her face added a touch of coldness.

“It’s getting late, isn’t the princess consort getting on?”

“Oh…” Jiang Jiuchu quickly stepped up and sat down.

The carriage was silent for a moment. Jiang Jiuchu glanced at Shí Yan, who was wearing a black robe and leaning against the carriage wall, playing with the ribbon hanging from his waist, the corner of her mouth unconsciously rising.

In this kind of occasion, Shí Yan was wearing an inconspicuous black outfit. Did it mean that he had no interest in that princess at all?

Shí Yan was fanning himself with a folding fan while fiddling with the chessboard on the tea table, secretly thinking, this woman hasn’t even used a third of her seventy-two stratagems, has she given up so easily?

A chess piece fell from his slender fingers, making a slight sound, attracting Jiang Jiuchu’s attention.

Shí Yan seemed to raise his head inadvertently, and then casually asked, “Are you bored?”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded in a daze. Whether she was bored or not, she had to nod. After all, this was the first time Shí Yan had taken the initiative to talk to her since returning to Kyoto.

She thought that Shí Yan was probably going to play chess with her, and her mind quickly began to think about the bet.

She was thinking about what kind of request to make that he would agree to, and that would be useful to her, preferably a bet where both winning and losing would be beneficial to her.

However, before she could start thinking, she saw Shí Yan raise his hand and casually pull out a book from the bookshelf on the side, and hand it to her.

Jiang Jiuchu slowly reached out to take it. Looking at Shí Yan, who was still fiddling with the chessboard after handing her the book, she unconsciously opened the book in her hand.

Her gaze moved away from Shí Yan and landed on the book she had opened, only to see the first page reading: ‘At dawn, wear the stars; at dusk, carry the moon. Unwavering perseverance can overcome a thousand difficulties, and strong willpower can overcome ten thousand dangers. Don’t be afraid of the many bumps on the journey; persevere to the end and stand at the forefront.’

Jiang Jiuchu curled her lips. She thought it was some kind of picture book! This guy really just grabbed it casually, not caring about her at all.

Oh well, being able to get her a book was already a good sign. She couldn’t ask for too much.

The carriage, bathed in the morning sun in the southeast, stopped in front of the palace gate. When Jiang Jiuchu and Shí Yan arrived at the banquet, about 70-80% of the guests were already seated.

The banquet had many officials and family members, so the banquet was held near the lakeside on the east side of the Imperial Garden, just like the previous Hundred Flowers Banquet.

As soon as Jiang Jiuchu entered the banquet, she ran to her brother, sister-in-law, and parents to chat intimately.

“Chuer looks really beautiful today.” After complimenting her, Shí Qingya leaned in and asked in a low voice, “How is it? Have you made up?”

After Shí Qingya asked, everyone looked at Jiang Jiuchu.

Jiang Jiuchu turned her head and glanced at Shí Yan sitting in front, shaking her head slightly, but not wanting her family to worry too much, she said, “It should be soon.”

“That’s good, but don’t be too anxious.” Shí Qingya said, also glancing at Shí Yan.

“Your brother has put himself in your shoes and thought about it. This matter is inherently heartbreaking, so don’t rush it, take it slowly.”

“Mm.” Jiang Jiuchu nodded, gently touching her sister-in-law’s belly. After being kicked in the belly, she was about to chat with her little nephew in her belly when she heard Eunuch De’s high-pitched voice coming from afar.

She immediately retracted her hand and sat down beside Shí Yan obediently.

Emperor Yue An walked into the center of the banquet, and everyone saluted in unison.